Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey
Ghana has decried a considerable strain on its export revenues due to the closure of the Nigerian border.
On August 21, 2019, Nigeria closed its borders with Benin.
Nigeria had promised that the border would remain closed for a period of 30 days to enable its authorities develop a strategy aimed at addressing smuggling.
However, the borders have remained closed.
Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, in a Tuesday, October 15, 2019, release, said the closure of the borders have worsened the conditions of Ghanaian traders “and put a considerable strain on export revenues.”
The Ghanaian Government further lamented that in addition to the closure of the borders and its effects, Ghana has to deal with measures already in force in Nigeria that have made it difficult for Ghanaian traders to export non-traditional products into the Nigerian market in spite of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS).
According to the release, the Nigerian authorities explained that these were short-term measures aimed at stabilizing the Nigerian economy.
However, it added, “this has not proven to be the case. Since 2016, the country has lost a significant amount of revenue in its non-traditional exports within the West African region as a result of the imposition of these non-tariff barriers.”
“Given the long-standing cordial relations and cooperation between Ghana and Nigeria, and our common commitment to deepen and widen regional and continental integration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration deems it a matter of high priority to engage the Nigerian authorities in order to bring an amicable end the issue of border closure and trade barriers,” the release noted.
BY Melvin Tarlue