Nigerians living and working in Ghana under the auspices of Nigerian Union of Traders Association in Ghana, (NUTAG) have presented a Save-Our-Soul Letter requesting to be evacuated from Ghana. The letter was presented to the Chairman/CEO Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in Abuja.
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 names 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 threats 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. The traders argued that since all diplomatic niceties at the highest level between Nigeria and Ghana have not yielded positive results, they are left with no choice than to ask for evacuation.
“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”, the traders lamented.
A statement signed by Gabriel Odu of the Media, Public Relations and Protocol Unit, NIDCOM and made available to 9news media said Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa once again called for peace, stressing that all relevant stakeholders will continually be engaged. The NIDCOM boss expressed sadness that the traders’ shops have not been reopened for almost one year citing draconian conditions which are against ECOWAS Protocols of Free Trade and movement of goods and services.
Dabiri-Erewa however, pleaded with the traders to remain calm 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 that will bring a lasting solution to the issues.
She also said Nigeria will not hesitate to gladly and safely welcome her citizens back home.
