President of the All Nigerian Community, Dr. Albert Ashaolu
President of the All Nigerian Community, Dr. Albert Ashaolu, has inaugurated and confirmed more than 50 key stakeholders and leaders from the Nigerian community in Ghana as he takes practical steps to rejuvenate unity among citizens.
In attendance at the stakeholder forum held in Accra, Ghana’s capital were Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Ghana, Ambassador Dayo Adeoye, leaders of various Yoruba, Igbo, South-South, and Arewa communities, and business leaders.
The leaders of the various communities took turns explaining how the coalition would positively affect the millions of Nigerians living in Ghana.
Speaking to a section of the media, Ashaolu stressed that the event was important as it was one of the ways to unite the warring factions within the Nigerians in Ghana. He described it as the first step that would ultimately quell further challenges citizens face.
He hailed the new inductees for the influence they have wielded over the years but challenged them to exert the same influence in changing the lives of the citizens.
“In Ghana, we know our challenges. The first challenge to be tackled is to unite our people together. Once we are united, all these little challenges we are facing in Ghana can be tackled. You can see these men, the timber and calibre that we gathered here tonight. They are going to support ANC in terms of our welfare and everything else ANC needs to achieve in Ghana. They are people of substance who have been in Ghana for years and know the nooks and crannies of this country. With them, I’m sure ANC will continue to thrive in brighter colours now,” he said.
Ashaolu assured that the governments of Nigeria and Ghana are looking for the ideal way to solve the impasse that has crippled small and medium-scale businesses in Ghana. The conflict, which has degenerated over the years, has left Nigerian traders in some of Ghana’s major markets on the streets as locals have prevented them from acquiring shops to conduct their business.
“When the two governments of the country are promising us that they are working on it, we should just let our arms be on deck and cross our fingers to see what they are going to do for us,” he said.
This impasse led to a visit by the Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, in 2020, where he promised to end the era of Nigerian traders in Ghana.
Gbajabiamila made some far-reaching proposals to end the attacks on Nigerian traders doing business in Ghana as he advocated for an amicable settlement of trade disputes through arbitration and fair judicial processes.
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 that as Africans, Ghana should encourage brotherliness.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Dayo Adeoye says that Nigerians in the diaspora remain a part of President Bola Tinubu’s foreign policy.
Ambassador Adeoye gave this reassurance when he met with key stakeholders within Nigeria’s community in Ghana at the inauguration and confirmation of ANC stakeholders.
Addressing the press after the event held on Friday, November 8, in Accra, Ghana’s capital, Adeoye explained that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is “irrevocably committed to the welfare of Nigerians,” stressing that Nigerians abroad are incorporated into his administration.
He mentioned that the present administration in Nigeria has a plan for the diaspora, with one of the key components being diaspora engagement.
