By Emeagi Emeka Williams
ANOTHER theatre of the absurd which may become a macabre dance, such that resulted from the xenophobic attacks in South Africa is gradually unfolding and gathering momentum in Ghana, West Africa Where citizens are antagonistically chasing innocent Nigerians who indulge in micro economic/commercial activities in that fledgling economy.
Reports which filtered from that nation and has become commonplace in the media, have shown that an inexplicable phobia is being unleashed against Nigerians that fall within the low economic cadre, and are presently ekking out the living through legitimate commercial activities.
This sub-regional discriminative actions have led to the sealing of the business premises of Nigerians, a lock-up which had subsisted since the close of 2019, leaving Nigerian traders to suffer untold hardship, despite their legitimate stances as traders who have paid all levies and dues, apart from proper registrations and endorsements with the Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC); a government organ which issued relevant documents to warrant the corporate existence of the various business firms run by the Nigerian traders.
The operation chase poor Nigerians out of Ghana is happening in a world where Western nations are harbouring thousands of African citizens who escaped the harsh neo-colonialistic approaches of the various African leaders who destroy rather than fix their home economies.
Fillers from some Nigerian traders in Ghana revealed that the connotation of the ensuing socio-economic scenerio in the small and micro business sector of Ghana is state-sponsored or supported, due to the deafening silence which the authorities in that country have maintained in the face of the agonising injustice and segregation meted against Nigerians.
According to other investigations, the Nigerian Union of Traders Association in Ghana (NUTGA), life has been hell for traders who have had their means of livelihood abruptly stopped by Ghanians close to govt. corridors who want to seize the commercial activities in the interest of Ghana traders; development they see as a sheer conspiracy against the poor Nigeria that landed Nigeria for survival and have contributed to the development of communities and towns, imparting Ghanians with business ideas and methodologies to enhance their worlds.
At home, several Nigerians have expressed concern over the ugly development and urged the Nigerian govt to explore diplomatic ways to arrest the situation, stressing that evacuating the citizens as being requested by many would mean international war and a practical attempt to totally severe bilateral ties, situation that is both barbaric and anti-personnel in a global community that the world has become.
Some other Nigerians have urged govt. to arise to the occassion to see to it that the messy situation ends so that it does not snowball into what will cause a blood bath.