Ghana is a peaceful and stable country within the sub-region. It is a key member of the Economic Community of West African States – ECOWAS. It welcomes all law-abiding persons to its shores.
Being a key member of the Sub-region bloc, it has participated in the signing of various treaties and protocols that would ensure the benefit of the citizens of the subregion.
I can state emphatically that most Nigerians are abusing this protocol of free movement of persons.
They have flooded our country. Sadly, most of them are engaged in all manner of criminal activities to the full glare of all.
It is an eyesore if one uses the Lagos Avenue stretch in East Legon in the night, even during the day. It is common to be welcomed by
these Nigerian prostitutes illegally trade their business in an open space without any respect for the dignity of humans and Ghanaian citizens.
They don’t respect the laws of our country. and painfully and disgracefully, our police, the law enforcers are not ready to enforce the laws by causing their arrest, charging, and prosecuting them. This is shameful.
Our Criminal Code or law, Act 29, 1960 bars prostitution and has empowered the police to act.
Our police are quick to act when Ghanaians breach the law.
These Nigerians are renting all the properties and naively our property owners (landlords) including some so-called men of God are willing to rent out their properties to them as their places of abode to carry out their sordid, illegal, and immoral activities.
I am serving a note of caution to the Government to be up and doing on this matter and find a lasting solution by allowing our domestic laws and other relevant protocols of the sub-region to work, or else we shall leave to regret, especially, the future of our young ones.
Ghana is now a haven for some of these Nigerians for their illegal lifestyles.
These Nigerians are damaging our country. Their bad acts are detrimental to our culture, tradition, and tourism traits of our country.
Also, most of them are into cybercrimes and other dirty activities and we sit aloof without taking any legal action. Ghana!
We have heard many stories of Nigerians acquiring our passports and nothing has happened.
And those Ghanaians who are aiding and abetting these acts by those nefarious Nigerians because of their selfish benefits should halt it. They may become victims a day to come.
The few Nigerians who are doing their legitimate businesses should be protected but the majority who are demeaning the beauty of our country should be made to face the full rigors of the law.
Domestic law enforcement must affect all not only the citizens of Ghana. Anyone who lives on the shores of Ghana should receive the same punishment when he or she breaches the laws and the laws must also protect them when they act legitimately by respecting the laws.
This ECOWAS protocol on the free movement of persons should be reconsidered as many Nigerians in particular are abusing it.
These key Ministries; Foreign Affairs, Interior, National Security, and allied agencies must collaborate to help tame the nauseating activities of these illegal Nigerians.
They are poisoning and polluting our peaceful, decent, revered, and well-culturalised country.
Most young Ghanaian youths are being lured by their Nigerian counterparts involved in those scandalous activities. It is dangerous and wicked to their future.
Yes, diplomacy is key in this endeavor, but it should be abused.It should be used wisely.
I know some if my readers will not agree with some of the points I have raised in my innocuous piece, but it is the bitter truth.
Procrastination may lead one into a trench and that may be too late to recover.
Ahmed Osumanu Halid
The Servant
