Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, has advocated an amicable settlement of trade disputes between Nigerians and their host communities in Ghana through arbitration and fair judicial processes.
Gbajabimila
made the call in a statement issued on Thursday after a ‘Legislative Diplomacy’
bilateral meeting with Ghanaian lawmakers and some top government officials as
part of his ongoing visit to Ghana to resolve the crisis.
The Speaker
also made some far-reaching proposals that would bring an end to the attacks on
Nigerian traders doing business in Ghana.
Gbajabimila
said he would be glad to champion a law to improve the bilateral trade
relations between Nigeria and Ghana, saying that citizens of the two countries
remain brothers and sisters.
He called on
Ghanaian authorities to revisit the component of the law that requires a
capital base of $1 million for businesses to start, saying as Africans, Ghana
should encourage brotherliness.
“First,
amicable settlement of trade disputes through arbitration and fair judicial
processes. In this context, we do believe that it is the sovereign right of the
government of Ghana to pass and implement the GIPC Act.
“We would
implore you to explore alternative and less aggressive options of engaging,
sanctioning and relating with our traders and business people who operate in
your country, pay taxes and contribute to the development of both our nations.
“Secondly, we
would encourage you to revisit the component of the law that requires a capital
base of $1,000,000.
“We are all
Africans, we all have towns and villages, and we know only too well that
majority of our traders across the continent are petty traders.
“The prospect
of them being able to raise a capital base of $1,000,000 before they can trade
in goods that may be worth less than $1,000, clearly is a major challenge.
“Thirdly, one
of the things we are all proud about and the common surname that we all bear is
‘ECOWAS’ and as you know, by virtue of being ECOWAS countries, our nations and
our citizens should be able to live, work and thrive in any of our nations
without any form of hindrance or discrimination,” he said.
He encouraged
Ghanaian authorities to explore the principles and the application of ECOWAS
protocols which both countries are signatories to.
Gbajabimila
said that it is important to strengthen legislative diplomacy and collaboration
between both countries.
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