The President of Ghana, Nana Akufo Ado has assured the Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila of the readiness of the Ghanaian Government to consider the resolutions reached the Legislative Diplomacy Bilateral meeting between senior Legislators from both countries.
The Ghanaian President gave the assurance when the Speaker of Ghana Parliament, Mike Oquaye led his Nigerian counterpart on a courtesy visit to the President in Accra, Ghana.
The legislative diplomacy dialogue became imperative as the parliaments of the two countries sought modalities to resolve the trade conflicts and provide an enabling business environment for foreign traders including Nigerians doing business in Ghana.
Several foreign businesses, many Nigerian-owned, in Ghana have been facing challenges in the demand for one million Dollars capital base for foreign traders, as enshrined in the Ghana Investment Promotion Center, GIPC Act (2013).
Responding to a request by Nigeria’s House of Representatives Speaker for a review of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre Act to make certain concessions, President Akufo-Addo said the request is in order.
The Ghanaian President, who expressed satisfaction with the visit, endorsed Gbajabiamila’s proposal for the establishment of a ‘Nigeria-Ghana Business Council’ established by Law in both countries even as he called for the setting up of a joint ministerial committee between the two countries that would see to the issues between Ghana and Nigeria.
The Ghanaian President said he would raise the issue with the Nigerian President when they meet at the ECOWAS Summit on Monday.
Gbajabiamila, who was in the company of his colleagues appealed to the Ghanian Authorities to look at ways the burden of doing business can be reduced.
Meanwhile, in a communique issued jointly at the end of the bilateral meeting between members of the two Parliament; it was resolved that “measures will be adopted to support law-abiding traders to properly regularise their business operations to alleviate the trade challenges occasioned by the alleged closure of the retail stores, in view of the ravaging impact of Covid-19 pandemic on businesses and families in both countries.”
The resolution acknowledged that many stakeholders in the retail sector have limited appreciation of the trade laws of Ghana, in particular, Section 28 of the GIPC Act, which provides for the conditions under which non-Ghanaians can engage in trading activities and urged the relevant regulatory authorities including the GIPC and Trade Attachees of foreign missions to educate their citizens on the trade laws.
The Resolution equally emphasized the need to respect the sovereignty of Member States of ECOWAS and their Laws but, in doing so, efforts must be made to ensure that the ECOWAS Agenda for free movement of people and goods in furtherance of a shared and prosperous future of citizens of the sub-region is not compromised.
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A meeting is agreed to be held between the Trade and Foreign Affairs Committees of both Legislatures to deliberate on applications of Trade Laws, in particular, the GIPC Act, 2013 (Act 865) and make recommendations for appropriate solutions and also a Joint Committee would be established and would include Members of both Legislature to explore the possible passage of reciprocal legislation, which could be potentially called the “Ghana-Nigeria Friendship Act” to propose “Ghana-Nigeria Business Council” and provide a framework to sustain the friendship and benefits to citizens of the two nations.
Editor: Omor Bazuaye
