The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) has commended the Nigerian government for allowing them to bring their products into the country for the Lagos International Trade Fair.
Samuel Dentu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the ongoing Lagos International Trade Fair that the border closure almost made it impossible for them to bring exhibition products to the fair in Lagos.
He added that the timely intervention by the relevant Federal Government authorities made it possible for them to participate in the fair.
“As a fall out of what is happening with the border closure, we had a bit of issues getting the products coming here for exhibition but we worked with the Nigeria customs and our embassy in Lagos and we were able to get to the fair. Nigerian Government has helped us by taking Ghanaians to the border to negotiate and our goods were released, this shows that the Government of Nigeria has been magnanimous enough to help us so far.”
“We have been working with authorities here to make sure that we don’t suffer collateral damage as far as the closure is concerned. We eventually pulled through it because of the cordial relationship that we had with Nigeria authorities,” he added.
He explained that Ghanaians prefer to exhibit their products in Nigeria because of the similarities both countries share.
“We know there are trade barriers, but that doesn’t stop the smooth relationship between both countries,” he said.
Nigeria closed its borders with Benin in August this year to help curb nefarious activities at the border.
However, this has affected other countries in the sub-region.
The Ghanaian Foreign Affairs Minister and Trade Minister have met their Nigerian counterparts in Abuja, Nigeria.
The Nigerian Minister stated that the border closure is not targeted at Ghanaians. Both countries have agreed to set out modalities to allow for free movement of goods from Ghana to Nigeria.
Before this meeting in Abuja, the Foreign Affairs Minister met and the Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana.
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