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NIGERIA
BANS 96 GHANAIAN COMMODITIES
Courtesy: Public Agenda, Ghana
At a time when negotiations on free trade within the ECOWAS sub region are gaining positive grounds and their realization seemingly near, the sub regional power block, Nigeria, is flexing its muscles, and has outlawed Ghanaian commodities from its market.
Nigeria has placed a ban on the importation of over ninety-six Ghanaian products including textiles, garments, starch, plastics, poultry products and rice among a host of others.
The ban came despite the existence of an ECOWAS treaty on trade liberalization to which Nigeria is a member. Under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Treaty, member countries are free to export and import items into each other's country devoid of quotas or any forms of restriction.
Aside protocol agreements, Nigeria also touts itself as Ghana's 'big brother'. The two countries have also had a cordial relationship spanning over several years. Indeed, the warmest of inter-state relations that ever existed within the sub region could unarguably be said to be the one between Ghana and Nigeria.
Just two weeks ago, Nigeria launched its bid for a permanent seat in the United Nation on Ghanaian soil, with all the pageantry and the clamour of a "colossus" as in the words of Ghana's Vice President, Aliu Mahama.
At the said launching ceremony, Nigeria paid glowing tribute to the Pan African spirit of Ghana's first president, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and even stated that it was in the same spirit that it chose Ghana as the platform to launch the contest.
Ghana and Nigeria are also forerunners in the formation of NEPAD, which seeks the integration of the countries of the sub region.
But in spite of all these, Ghanaian products would not have access to Nigeria markets.
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