Nigerian traders in Ghana have urged the Federal Government to take urgent steps to stop the harassment Nigerians living in that country are being subjected to by Ghanaian authorities.
Mr Chukwuemeka Nnaji, President of the Nigerian Union of Traders Association in Ghana (NUTAG) made call on Monday when he spoke on the recent arrest of 500 Nigerians in Bolga, in Upper West region of Ghana.
He said the 500 Nigerians were deported by Ghanaian immigration service to Aflao border without proper investigation to ascertain how they got to that country.
“Ghanaians are just using Nigerians to match their foot, which is not acceptable by citizens of any country; despite according Ghanaian authority respect, sometimes they do not reciprocate.
“Those people were victims of a Ghana-based company “Q-Net” with collaborators in Nigeria that deceive people there is employment in Ghana and that the job will pay $250 a week.
“They will collect between 400 and 500 cedes from them and then, you will have nothing.
“They will tell you that it is a share-marketing and that they will buy commodities where you will reap investment in profit, meanwhile these people will stay for long and get nothing.
“The way they bring people from Nigeria by smuggling into Ghana nobody knows; unsuspecting Nigerians come and become stranded, therefore the need for government to urgent measures.”
He decried the manner Ghanaian Immigration personnel often arrest and harass Nigerians at random, and thereby, keep them in open field to be form of torture.
According to him, most Nigerians in that country were fast becoming perpetually afraid about their safety and protection, because government of the two countries were yet to tackle the problem.
“We are already targets of the Ghanaian authority that waits on what we say, to get at us.
“Nigeria is our country and Ghana should not be treating us this way; it is not the first time such occur, they have been arresting people from house to house, whether you have passport or not, they will just arrest you,
“Although investigation is ongoing by their Immigration and Police, we have informed officials of Nigerian High Commission, who said they will look into it.
“If those arrested have no passport, then where are they taking them to? These are people arrested in Churches and streets.
“The way Ghana authority are humiliating Nigerians and making them look like criminals is illegal,” he added.
