Due to the increasing violence in Niger, the government, through the Ministry of Defense, has admonished Ghanaian traders to stop doing business there.
This comes after unidentified attackers recently shot and set a Ghanaian truck driver’s car on fire in Burkina Faso. The Burkina Faso border also saw the burning of three trucks carrying food supplies from Niger to Ghana.
In an interview monitored by 1Family Radio, the deputy minister of defense, Kofi Amankwaa Manu, issued a warning that it is unsafe for Ghanaians to travel to Niger for business.
Obviously, once it is outside the jurisdiction of the discussion, it becomes difficult, especially with all the noise in the sub-region. I don’t think the citizens of Niger are safe.’’
He continued, “With the coup, uncertainties, and soldiers doing what they want, they are not safe. Coupled with the fact that some countries have also closed borders with them.’’
“There have been sanctions and all, but they are not too certain as to what tomorrow is bringing to them. So at this time, it is difficult, so it’s not even safe for anybody to go there to do business. Once you get to the borders, you don’t have control over what happens in the jurisdiction of Burkina Faso.’’
“What a Ghanaian security person can do is help our traders to the Ghanaian border with Burkina and help them over. We all know the situation in Niger; you don’t need a scientist to tell you what’s happening in Niger, and so it’s very difficult for one to now go to Niger to do business. Everyone will have to be careful,’’ he added.
Source: 1Familyradio