The Media Advocacy West Africa Foundation (MAWA Foundation) condemns the maltreatment of Nigerians in Ghana over the government demand they pay the sum of $1 million before they will be allowed to operate a business in the country.

MAWA Foundation deplores the attitude of the Ghanaian government by allowing its law enforcement agencies to assault Nigerians who reside and do business in their country and have documents that allow them to do so.

We call on the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) to immediately look into the activities of Ghana government and stop the grave human rights abuse against its citizens living and doing business in Ghana under the guise of implementing municipal law.

We call on all human rights organizations and activists across the West African States to rise against the maltreatment of Nigerians in Ghana and force the government to uphold the ECOWAS treaty on free trade and economic integration which are core cardinal values of the regional body.

We wish to remind Ghana that she an ECOWAS member state and the core vision of the regional body is the creation of a borderless region where the population has access to its abundant resources and can exploit the same through the creation of opportunities under a sustainable environment.

ECOWAS which Ghana signed up to is a creation of an integrated region where the population enjoys free movement, has access to efficient education and health systems, and engages in economic and commercial activities while living in dignity in an atmosphere of peace and security.  

ECOWAS is meant to be a region governed by the principles of democracy, rule of law and good governance, and what is happening to Nigerians in Ghana is a complete negation of ECOWAS protocol.

We call on Mr. Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian president to immediately activate all diplomatic machinery within the ECOWAS body to stop Nigerians maltreatment in Ghana.

The demand by the Ghana government for Nigerians doing business in the country to pay $ 1 million is a complete negation of the ECOWAS treaty and that must stop.

In a situation Ghana becomes adamant and continues to carry out her draconian law against Nigerians and other ECOWAS Nationals, Nigeria should immediately withdraw its support from the regional body as a way of showing her disapproval over Ghana’s action against her citizens.  

A staff of the ROVAC hotel, located at New Karu who spoke to Media Advocacy West Africa Foundation (MAWA Foundation) team that was at the community with support from Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) said the coronavirus outbreak has done lots of damage to their business.

Lamenting the economic predicament the coronavirus has brought to the hotel business, Rita said their business was completely halted by the coronavirus pandemic.

She pointed out that before the pandemic, they were doing well, but in the last three months especially during the lockdown, they hardly make N500 daily.

“Before the coronavirus, we made money from drinks, lodging, and football viewing centre, but all that was stopped by the outbreak of coronavirus and we can’t make N500 a day,” Rita told MAWA.

“It is even worse because, as we are not making any money because of the pandemic, we are still paying bills” she added.

Rita explained that customers no longer come to their hotel to lodge because they are afraid of contracting coronavirus.

She, however, disclosed that before the outbreak of the pandemic, during weekends, there will be no vacant rooms in their hotel because they will be all booked by guests, but at the moment, the case is different and the business has since gone down and is about to be closed down.

Narrating the adverse effect of coronavirus on their business, Rita said she works in the bar and did not make any sale during the lockdown because all her customers could not come and watch football which is a major factor that booms her business.

She, however, told MAWA that things are getting better since the lift on lockdown and the commencement of football matches.

Another resident in the area who did not want his name mentioned, told MAWA, he has been rendered financially impotent by the coronavirus outbreak.

He disclosed that he is a mason and has not done any job for over four months, pointing out that hunger wants to kill him and his family while appealing to the government to help the poor and vulnerable to come out of the difficulties they are facing as a result of the pandemic.