Foreign
NIGERIA traders in Ghana, on Thursday, urged the Federal Government to prioritize making the country more investment-friendly to encourage compatriots abroad to invest in their fatherland.
Mr Chukwuemeka Nnaji, President of the Nigerian Union of Traders Association in Ghana (NUTAG) made the call in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Nnaji said he was speaking against the backdrop of comments by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who alleged that unpatriotic Nigerians made Twitter to snub Nigeria and announce plans to set up its first African office in Ghana.
The NUTAG president insisted that a lot could be done to woo other huge businesses to Nigeria in spite of the prevalence of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).
“Many people had lost hope of coming back to invest in every sector of the economy, therefore the call on the government to create the enabling environment to attract businesses and enable them to thrive.
“Insecurity is one of the major factors hindering most of us from coming back to invest in our fatherland.
“Some people would have loved to come home to spend time and monitor their businesses too, but fear of insecurity poses difficulty to decide on it,’’ he said.
According to him, insecurity has made many people to go into hiding to avoid being the focus of attention, thus limiting their capacity to contribute to business growth in the country.
“Eventually we cannot keep staying abroad; more so, the seven days isolation policy on COVID-19, contributes to why Nigerians have lately felt discouraged to come and invest at home,’’ Nnaji added.
The NUTAG president who gave an update on the situation of members of his association decried the lingering closure of shops belonging to Nigerians in that country by Ghanaian authorities.
He said the situation had affected them negatively.
“It is high time the Nigerian government intervened because no other body is saddled with such constitutional responsibility to protect us,’’ Nnaji said. (NAN)
– MAY 06, 2021 @ 12:29 GM
Tags: NUTAG seeks environment conducive for investment flow to Nigeria
