Dele Momodu Speaks on Closure of Nigerian Shops in Ghana, To Give Palliatives to Affected Traders

• Implores people of good conscience to intervene speedily in the matter

Chairman of Ovation Media Group, Chief Dele Momodu, has said that the closure of some shops owned by Nigerians in Ghana makes a mess of the Black Lives Matter campaign which has become a global cause.

In a press statement made available to THISDAY on Wednesday, Momodu faulted the action of the Ghanaian authorities and promised some palliatives for the displaced Nigerian business men and women in the spirit of brotherliness.

He also called on well-meaning Africans and peoples of the world to stand up against the ‘atrocious laws’ which imposed a $1 million fee on Nigerian traders before they could pursue their legitimate endeavours on the Ghanaian soil.

“How many companies in the world started business with such stupendous amount?” the Ovation Media Group chair asked.

“If the Europeans and Americans had promulgated such Laws against Nigerians and Ghanaians living abroad, many of us would have accused them of racism and discrimination”, the veteran journalist said.

Momodu, while noting with sadness the viral videos of Nigerian investors being flogged and thrown out of their shops in Ghana, said as an avowed pan-Africanist and a fanatical disciple of former Ghanaian President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, he had become traumatized about the future of Africa.

Below is the full statement issued by Momodu with full list of traders whose shops were closed:

“I note with sadness the viral videos of Nigerian investors being flogged and thrown out of their shops in Ghana. As an avowed pan-Africanist and a fanatical disciple of former Ghanaian President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, I have become traumatized about the future of Africa. The Osagyefo must be seething with anger and rage in his grave, if he could see how Africans are treating themselves at this time and age.

“Just imagine that this is coming at a momentous period when the world is campaigning that BLACK LIVES MATTER, but Nigerians are being kicked around like football by our closest Brothers and friends. And what is the excuse for this act? An incredibly brutal “Law” which stipulates that foreign small-scale traders must invest $1 million in the Ghanaian economy. How many companies in the world started business with such a stupendous amount? If the Europeans and Americans had promulgated such Laws against Nigerians and Ghanaians living abroad, many of us would have accused them of racism and discrimination. What is worse, some of these traders actually have their valid papers and registered long before the coming of this atrocious requirement by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, but the Law enforcers blatantly refused to listen to the cries of these hardworking but hapless traders.

“Another excuse is that they claimed Nigeria shut its borders against neighboring countries. While I agree that the decision to shut our borders is regrettable, this has nothing to do with Ghana. No Ghanaian has been asked not to do business in Nigeria. No Ghanaian has been asked to invest any compulsory amount of money before setting up shops in Nigeria. We make immigrants totally welcome here. I once intervened on behalf of a Ghanaian couple when their factory was going to be demolished amongst some illegal structures in Agbara Estate. I had to call the then Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, who exempted the Ghanaians on the compassionate grounds that they were Ghanaian investors in Nigeria.

Nigerians and Ghanaians have been too interwoven and inter-marrying for ages, including the current President of Ghana, the great Nana Akufo-Addo who was once an in-law of Nigeria. His cousin, Adelaide Ofori-Atta, was married to Chief Sammy Oluseun Olagbaju, a prominent Nigerian Businessman who died in 2016. Myma Adwowa Belo-Osagie, Princess Abba Folawiyo, Mrs Edith Korantema Koranteng Fajemirokun, are amongst many Ghanaian women married to prominent Nigerian families.

My personal love for Ghana, and respect for Ghanaians, has never been in doubt. I have been the Chief Promoter of Ghana to the world in the past 25 years. I once worked closely with The Hon. Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey, of blessed memory, Ghana’s Minister of Tourism and Diasporan Relations in the cabinet of President John Agyekum Kufuor. Ovation International magazine was instrumental in showcasing the pristine beauty of Ghana to a global audience at the time. Many Nigerian companies started expanding their operations to Ghana, based on the positive stories we sold to the world, especially Nigeria. Today, Nigerians control huge investments in Banking, Oil & Gas, Telecommunications, Real Estate, Retail, Entertainment, Education, Hospitality, Tourism, Medicals, Aviation, Shipping, Transportation, Textiles, Churches, etc.

I’m saddened that all our efforts of those days are about to be wasted by this latest imbroglio.

“I have reached out, and obtained the full names and phone contacts of the Nigerian traders mostly affected by this unfortunate and unnecessary incidents. Each of them will receive my humble widow’s mite, with no strings attached and no political motives whatsoever. My motivation is just the fact that we should be our Brother’s keepers at all times.

I implore men and women of good conscience to stand up and intervene speedily in this matter. God bless The Federal Republic of Nigeria and The Republic of Ghana.”

List Of Nigerian Traders Affected By The Forceful Closure Of Shops In Accra, Ghana

1. Chukwuemeka Ihejirika

2 Paul Okechukwu

3 Justine Ikechukwu Nwachukwu

4 Blessing Ugwuoke

5 Chinedu Mbanugo Valentine

6 Loveth Chukwuemeka

7 Johnson Arinze

8 Paulink Global Digital

9 Godwin Ogbu Francis

10 Samson Anayoaniawa

11 Titus Ezema Ugwoke

12 Tony Izuchukwu Anyaegbu

13 Ugochukwu Uchenna Onuoha

14 Chikwendu Ike Ndubuisi

15 Ibeh Kingsley

16 David Ikechukwu Muanya

17 Augustine Ekwoh

18 Oliver Omeke

19 Okaah Oburuzo

20 Jonas Ugwoke Ugwuogo

21 Obinna Lucky

22 Eze Victor Chinedu

23 Stanley Umealaekwe

24 Igbonaju Desmond

25 Okeke Nelson

26 Ugwoe Ernest

27 Ani Emeka Solomon

28 Chukwuemeka T. P Onyekaonwu

29 Goodluck Maduabuchi Okwara

30 Okechukwu Samuel

31 Christopher Ubanatu

32 Innocent Ude

33 Chinedu Desmond Nwaburuebu

34 Kingsley Ejike Mbadiwe

35 Okechukwu Ifeakanwa

36 Benjamin Onah

37 Tochukwu Julius Ezeh

38 Ugwu Alphonsus Ifeanyi

39 Amaka Victoria

40 Ohayi Chigbogu Paul

41 Titus Chinasa

42 Olisa Adindu Kingsley

43 Eze Paul Tochukwu

44 Igwe Paul Ikechukwu

45 Steven Okoye

46 Osmond Osinachi Okoye

47 Udoka Nzelu

48 Ugwu Onyeka Joe

49 Ugwumadu Onyedika Callistus

50 Chukwu Victor Paul

51 Famous Hannah

52 Kelvin Mamah

53 Eze Sunday

54 Martin Anakudo Arinze

55 Viine Obi Nwodo

56 Peter Tochukwu

57 Ugwoke Patrick

58 Emmanuel Oheakesi

59 Ugonnanya Candy Eze

60 Bennedict Reuben (Tigo)

61 Nwazuoke Christopher Chukwudi

62 Raymond Ugwu

63 Nkoku Ndubuisi Jacob

64 Udenyi Leonard

65 Richard Douglas

66 James Uzar Kingsley

67 Onuorah Ebuka Destiny

68 Chuks Eze

69 Sunday Joseph

70 Fressy Eze

71 Kingsley Uchenna Nnaegbuna

72 Ugochukwu Raphael

73 Agudile Chizoba Miracle

74 Paul Onyekachi Ugwuoke

75 Izunabor Nonso Collins

76 Onyeke Uchenna Wisdom

77 Florence Ezi

79 Tochukwu Ubah

80 Bright Ohiara

81 Ozioma Onwuzugha

82 Joseph Ugwu

83 Joseph Ezuzobi

84 Emmanuel Ifeanyi

85 Ejike Domnic

86 Chupez Arinze

87 Richard Obidinma

88 Nnadi Kingsley Ejiofor

89 Obi Augustine

90 Sunday Donatus

91 Emmanuel Adibe

92 Nwokocha Godwin

93 Eze Lucky

94 Lawrence Amandianeze Aniekwe

95 Onyeanula Chinedu Godwin

96 Eze Francis

97 Ukwungwu Linus

98 Collins Chidiebere

99 Ibeh Tochukwu

100 Abugu Clement

101 Favour Anita

102 Chinedu Onyemachukwu

103 Alex Eziokwu

104 Ambrose Ogwuegbu

105 Emeka Polite

106 Blesseduc Avenue

107 Newly International Uche Chukwu Okezie

108 John Nke

109 Iheagwam B. Iyke

110 Nnaji Izuchukwu

111 Glorious Blessed Sea Land (Tony Igbomalu)

112 Fedelis Obi

113 Mike Eze

114 Chima Oriaku

115 Obinna Ekwechi

116 Augustine Ukpabia

117 Moneke Michael K

118 Ogochukwu Nwankwo

119 Emmanuel Agbata

120 Emmanuel Igwe

121 Nelson Okechukwu

122 Ikenna Nwakaozor

123 Nnaemeka Godwin

124 Chinedu Mbionwu

125 Akonam Ezeanolue

126 Chinedu Okpalaeke

127 Chinedu Ukabia

128 Emeka Ugwunnwa

129 Ejike Ezediniru

130 Chukwu Nonso Okey