Nigerian Traders in Ghana under the aegis of Nigerian Union of Traders Association (NUTAG) have sent an SOS to the Federal Government begging to be evacuated home.
Nigerian Traders’ businesses have been shut down since the Nigerian government’s order to to shut all its land borders back home to stem smuggling.
Representatives of the National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS), led by its president, Ken Ukoaha in conjunction with the president of NUTAG and some of their members have written a letter to the Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon Abike Dabiri Erewa.
Among their requests is the peaceful and secure evacuation back home to Nigeria.
Mr Gabrel Odu of the the Media and Public Relations Unit of NIDCOM said in a press release that the letter listed 753 Nigerian Traders who signified interest in returning home.
Dabiri-Erewa regretted that the traders’ shops were still shut for almost one year. She cited the hard conditions againsted ECOWAS Protocols of free trade and movement of goods and services.
The @nidcom_gov Chairman promised to work with the relevant government agencies to speed up the return of the traders while calling on them to remain peaceful in their host country.
The press release:
Nigerians working and living in Ghana under the auspices of Nigerian Union of Traders Association in Ghana, (NUTAG) presented a ‘Save-Our-Soul’ Letter requesting to be evacuated from Ghana to the Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa over the recent attack in Ghana.
“Requesting to be evacuated from Ghana. The Letter was presented to Chairman/CEO Nigerians in Diaspora Commission Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa in Abuja Wednesday.
“The delegation was led by President, National Association of Nigerian Traders, (NANTS) Dr Ken Ukoaha alongside the President of Nigerian Union of Traders Association in Ghana (NUTAG) and other members of the Association.
“Their request is among others to secure a peaceful and secure evacuation of Nigerians in Ghana back home to Nigeria. The letter has a list of 753 members who signed to be supported to return home.
“They explained that the evacuation has become necessary because of the constant and consistent harassment, intimidation, torture and threat to life as well as a total lockdown of their means of livelihood, as their shops have been locked for almost one year by the Ghanaian Authorities.
“More so, since all diplomatic niceties at the highest level between Nigeria and Ghana have not yielded positive results. “Now, landlords are coming to ask us for rent . How do we pay with our shops locked up for so long.
“We are dying here”, they lamented . However, the Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa once again called for peace, stressing that all relevant Stakeholders will continually be engaged.
“She said it is indeed sad that their Shops have not been reopened for almost one year citing draconian conditions against ECOWAS Protocols of Free Trade and movement of goods and services.
“The NIDCOM BOSS however, pleaded again with the Traders not to allow tempers rise as she will convey their message for support to relocate back home to the appropriate authorities for further consideration and to speed up the process with strategic Ministries and Agencies to bring a lasting solution to the issues.
Mrs Dabiri-Erewa also said Nigeria will not hesitate to gladly and safely welcome her Citizens back to the Country.
Signed, Gabriel Odu
Media, Public Relations and Protocol Unit
NIDCOM ABUJA
NOVERMBER 11, 2020
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