Accra, Nov 01, GNA – A Ghanaian delegation
led by Mr Charles Owiredu, a Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional
Integration has presented copies of the documents containing particulars of
Ghanaian drivers and traders stranded at the Seme-Krake border to the Nigerian
Authorities on Thursday October 31.
A statement issued by the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, which was copied to the Ghana News
Agency on Friday said the presentation of the documents was at the request of
the Nigerian officials at the first Abuja meeting on the borders closure.
It said the delegation which included; Mr
Carlos Ahenkorah, a Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Seidu Yakubu, a
Deputy Commmissioner of Customs, and senior officers from Ghana’s Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration held meetings with Colonel Hameed
Abdulai Ali, the Comptroller General of Customs Services, Nigeria, on the need
to re-open the Nigerian borders.
It noted that the delegation also held
discussions with Hajia Yalwaji Katagum, the Nigerian Minister of State for
Trade, Industry and Investment, and Mr Zubairu Dada, the Nigerian Minister of
State for Foreign Affairs.
The statement said the first meeting which
took place at the office of the Comptroller General Col, Hameed Ibrahim Ali in
Abuja ended on a positive note.
It said the Abuja discussions centred on the
need for Nigerian authorities to implement its part of the agreement reached a
couple of weeks ago saying if Ghana submitted information about companies and
drivers stuck at the Seme-Krake border, they would create a safe passage for
them to enter Nigeria with their goods.
It said the agreement was reached when Madam
Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Ghana’s Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and
Mr Alan Kyeremanten, Ghana’s Minister of Trade and Industry, met their Nigerian
counterparts on October 16.
It recounted that at the said meeting, which
also took place in Abuja, the Nigerian authorities explained that the aim of
the border closure was to prevent the entry of contraband goods from Benin
including; rice and Ghana was not the target.
It said during the latest meeting,Colonel
Ibrahim Ali explained that the situation that gave rise to the closure of the
borders mainly arose out of the fragrant disregard of the Protocol on ECOWAS
Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) and acts that undermined the security of
Nigeria by the Republic of Benin.
The statement said after extensive
discussions on expeditious action to lessen the continued negative impact of
the border closure on Ghana, the two customs entities agreed to sign a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
It said the MoU would include; the exchange
of Manifest of goods emanating from both countries and pre-shipment
arrangements.
The statement said it was agreed that the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration would kick-start the
process by requesting the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority to
submit the draft MoU on the said customs cooperation for the consideration of
the Nigerian authorities.
It said during the separate meetings with
the State Ministers, it was agreed that the list of 51 trucks still at the Seme
border should also be submitted to the Nigerian authorities by the Acting Head
of Mission of the Ghana High Commission.
It recalled that the delegation had a day
earlier met Ghanaian stranded drivers at the Seme-Krake Border of Nigeria and
Benin.
It said the borders were closed on August
21.
GNA
