Nigeria and Ghana have established a Parliamentary Friendship Group, as part of the Parliamentary Diplomacy embarked by the two parliaments to solve diplomatic and economic issues between the two countries.
Speaker, Nigerian House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila stated this in Abuja at a joint briefing with the Speaker, Ghanaian Parliament Mr. Alban Sumana-Bagbin, who was on official visit to Nigeria.
Mr. Gbajabiamila explained that the lingering trade dispute between the Ghanaian authorities and Nigerian Business community in that country has been resolved, stressing the need for more partnership between the two countries to deal with future challenges.
“As we both reiterated, Nigeria and Ghana are brothers. Even though as brothers you will always have issues here and there, it is your ability and capacity to resolve these issues that determine how well and how sustainable your relationship is.
You are all aware that for some time, there has been disagreement between the two countries and our traders, that has been addressed today.” Mr. Gbajabiamila added.
Mr. Alban Sumana-Bagbin who described the long relationship between the two countries as cordial and brotherly explained that parliamentary measures have been adopted including “Ghana-Nigeria Friendship Act” to prevent future occurrence.
The Act is to set up the “Ghana-Nigeria Business Council”, to provide the legal and institutional framework to sustain the continued friendship and business interests of their respective citizens.
The Ghanaian Speaker also urged Nigeria through the House of Representatives to review its prohibition list banning the importation of specific goods and commodities into the Nigerian market, from countries including Ghana.
“Recent and emerging security imperatives necessitate that while we seek to deepen cooperation among citizens of our two countries, we must not fail to prevent opportunists from taking undue advantage of loopholes in our systems that might tend to jeopardize the economic fortunes of our respective countries.
Rt. Hon. Speaker, we are making progress in resolving the concerns of the Nigerian traders in Ghana. It has been a joint effort between our two countries. That is always the way to go if we are interested in the peace and development of our countries. I am confident that the intervention of our two legislatures in this effort will yield results.” Mr. Sumana-Bagbin stressed.
Data from the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa indicates that in 2019 Africa’s out of about US$460billion Africa’s trade volume only US$69billion was transacted among African nations, and that most of these imports traded can be produced and procured in Africa.
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