News
Ghana’s Minister Calls for Breakdown of Barriers Impeding Trading Among West African Countries
Ghana’s Minister Calls for Breakdown of Barriers Impeding Trading Among West African Countries
… Invites Nigerian Investors to Come Over to Ghana to Invest
By: Michael Mike
Ghanaian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Honorable Samuel Ablakwa has called for tumbling down of the artificial barriers impeding trading among West African countries.
Speaking in Abuja at the weekend during a visit to River Park Estate, a massive investment by Ghanaian entrepreneurs in Nigeria, as part of his official visit to Nigeria, Ablakwa said the 50th Anniversary of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) should be used to reinvigorate the push to encourage more trading and investment by citizens of the subregion in the countries of the subregion.
He said the recent decision of American President Donald Trump to stop aids to Africa should be an eye opener for countries in West Africa and the rest Africa to encourage trading and investment among themselves and equally embrace Africa first before others.
On the River Park Estate in Abuja, the Minister said: “When Dr. Kwame Nkrumah proclaimed at our independence in March 1957 that we will show the world that the black man is capable of managing his own affairs. This is representative of that, and I am really inspired about what has been achieved here.
“It shows that when we come together, Ghana, Nigeria, ECOWAS, the rest of Africa and we bring down all of those artificial borders, those artificial borders which really do not mean anything because it cannot separate us. They were so haphazardly done, so hurriedly done during the scramble for Africa, just to share the continent and its resources amongst European colonialists, but over the years, we have just allowed those artificial boundaries to divide us, but today, what we see here is that those boundaries can no longer divide us, and that we transcend those artificial boundaries.
“So from that Berlin artificial division. We are here in Abuja to see what pan Africanism is about, that we can come together. We can unite. We can put our shoulders to the wheel, and we can achieve greatness.
“What this also represents is a new narrative that when we talk about investors, we should not always be looking outside the continent. That we can have African investors and we can open our countries to each other.
“Nigerians can come into Ghana, invest, create jobs, transform our countries. And it should be possible for Ghanaians to come into Nigeria and also create jobs and transform the landscape, transform the kaleidoscope of Nigeria, and that is what we see today. Interestingly, we are speaking at a time that we mark, 50 years of ECOWAS. And many have said that the ECOWAS dream, the dream of sub regional integration, has not yet been achieved as envisioned by our founding fathers, but what we see here today tells us that that dream is alive and that we can come together and transform our sub region, transform our continent, create real opportunities for our people,
“And those opportunities can lead to the progress that Africa needs. And speaking about the state of our continent, there is no other time to reflect on how we should come together and do it ourselves than this time, if we look at what is happening internationally? We are seeing a rise in nationalism. We are seeing the imposition of tariffs. We are seeing a rise in defense budgets. And where are they diverting those resources from? They are diverting resources meant for aid, resources meant for international cooperation, to strengthen their national defense. And many are crying that it turns out that Africa is not really a priority to some of our traditional partners. We have held in high esteem for many, many years that many have described as tragic, but some of us see it as a silver lining. We see it as an opportunity to look within, to build resilience, to come together and to forge our own path towards the progress and development of our continent.
“We can no longer rely on others. We must rely on ourselves and what is happening now should not bring despair. It should rather make us stronger. It should rather make us bolder, and it should make us more courageous, to look within, to dig deep and to come up with solutions that will help our continent progress. And so this is a story that the Foreign Ministry of Ghana is happy to project, and we are going to showcase this as a blueprint of what can be achieved, not only in Abuja, but I believe it can be achieved in Cotonou. It can be achieved in Ouagadougou. It can be achieved in Johannesburg. It can be achieved in many, many other places on the continent. We just have to come together. And once there is a will, there will always be away.”
He added that: “The time has come for Africans to do more business amongst ourselves, to trade more amongst ourselves. And that was the whole vision behind the Africa Continental Free Trade Area.”
He lamented that: “If you look at the statistics, we don’t do business amongst ourselves. We don’t trade amongst ourselves. It’s below 20%, if you look at intra European trade, there’s an excess of 60% same for intra Asia trade, but intra Africa trade, it’s very, very low, and we need to really collapse those artificial barriers and invest in the business ecosystem, creating opportunities venture capital funds, nurturing young entrepreneurs, and we need to also consciously promote made in Africa, So it doesn’t matter where the entrepreneur comes from, and that’s why I’m excited to be here seeing what Ghanaian entrepreneurs have done here, with the support of the government in Nigeria facilitating we also are proud to say that we host a lot of Nigerian businesses in Ghana. If you come to Ghana, the banking sector really is controlled by Nigerian entrepreneurs.”
Earlier, in his welcome address, the MD/CEO of Jonah Capital Nigeria Limited; Houses for Africa Nigeria Limited and Mobus Property
Development, Kojo Mensah said as declared by President John Mahama and President Bola Tinubu in Accra that. “”The bond between Ghana and Nigeria is strong and cannot be broken,” those words resonate deeply here. For in River Park, we’ve turned that bond into action. Our collaboration is a rebuke to those who peddle division; it is a testament to the words of the Ashanti proverb: “When brothers unite, the walls of the city shake.””
He said “Africa’s future will not be written in Beijing, Washington, or Brussels— it will be written here, by us. While global partnerships are vital, the greatest catalyst for our growth lies within our subregion. River Park Estate stands as evidence: over 75% of our workforce is Nigerian, 20% Ghanaian, and 5% from other ECOWAS nations.”
He added: “Together, we’ve generated thousands of jobs, spurred ancillary industries, and contributed over $250 million to Nigeria’s GDP. This is the power of intra-African collaboration. Let River Park be a blueprint—a clarion call for Ghanaian and Nigerian businesses to invest boldly in one another’s markets. Let us dismantle barriers, not build them. Let us compete not for crumbs, but for continental supremacy.”
Ghana’s Minister Calls for Breakdown of Barriers Impeding Trading Among West African Countries
Security forces Conduct Show of Force In Jos, Bukuru During Church Services
By: Zagazola Makama
Joint Security forced in Plateau State on Sunday conducted a joint show of force across major flashpoints within Jos metropolis and the Bukuru general area to ensure peaceful church services and strengthen public confidence.
The operation involved troops of Operation Enduring Peace, personnel of the Nigerian Air Force 551 Station, Operation Keystone, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and other security agencies.
Security sources said the exercise commenced at about 7:30 a.m. and was aimed at denying criminal elements freedom of action while providing adequate security coverage during church services.
The coordinated patrols and visibility operations covered identified vulnerable areas and strategic locations within Jos and Bukuru.
According to the sources, the operation was conducted without any security breach or incident, while religious activities across the affected areas remained peaceful.
The security agencies reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining collaborative operations aimed at maintaining law and order as well as protecting lives and property in Plateau State.
Security forces Conduct Show of Force In Jos, Bukuru During Church Services
Teenage Sensations Rosemary, Miracle Win Gold for Nigeria, Secure World Championship Spot
Nigeria recorded a major triumph at the 24th CAA Senior Athletics Championship in Accra, Ghana, as teenage athletes Rosemary and Miracle delivered a stunning performance to win gold for the country in the women’s 4x100m relay event.
The young stars, both students of NTIC Secondary School, helped Team Nigeria clinch the gold medal with an impressive time of 42.94 seconds, further underlining the country’s growing strength in athletics.
Their victory also secured Nigeria a ticket to the World Championships in Gaborone, while guaranteeing qualification for the 2027 World Championship in China.
The feat was particularly remarkable for Rosemary, who was making her senior debut for Nigeria at the continental championship.
Sports enthusiasts have since praised the duo for proving that age is no barrier to excellence, with many describing their performance as a glimpse into the bright future of Nigerian athletics.
Teenage Sensations Rosemary, Miracle Win Gold for Nigeria, Secure World Championship Spot
News
The Role of Intelligence in the Nigeria-US Joint Counter-Terrorism Operations That Neutralized Top ISWAP Commander, Fighters
The Role of Intelligence in the Nigeria-US Joint Counter-Terrorism Operations That Neutralized Top ISWAP Commander, Fighters
By Augustine Aminu
On Friday, May 16, 2026, the world was jolted by news of the killing of top commander of the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), Abour Mainok and several other fighters. Also known as Abu Bilal al-Minuki, and considered the second-in-command of ISIL (ISIS) globally, the top terrorist commander was reportedly killed during a joint Nigeria-U.S. Counter Terrorism operation in Metele, Borno State.
Ever since the elimination of al-Minuki, considered one of the biggest blows in recent times to terrorists in the world over, torrents of encomium have been pouring in for the Nigeria -U. S. joint terrorism operations.
Posting on his Truth Social handle, U. S. President Donald Trump, wrote, “Brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission to eliminate the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield,”
Al-Minuki, added President Trump, “thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing.”
On his part, President Bola Tinubu stated that both countries had “recorded a significant example of effective collaboration in the fight against terrorism”.
Early assessments indicate that al-Minuki, along with “several of his lieutenants,” were killed during a strike on his compound in Metele, Borno State,” Tinubu said.
“Nigeria appreciates this partnership with the United States in advancing our shared security objectives,” he added. “I extend my sincere gratitude to President Trump for his leadership and unwavering support in this effort,” he added.
A few days after President Trump praised Nigerian Intelligence services for helping to hunt down Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a man he described as “the most active terrorist in the world,” US Air Force General, Dagvin R.M. Anderson, Commander of U.S. Africa Command, also spoke glowingly of Nigeria’s Intelligence services.
Remarked Anderson, “The Nigerians have been instrumental throughout the last several months, developing the target, helping us with the Intelligence and providing support. So, it could not have been done by our own Forces. We needed to do that in conjunction with them.”
Security sources who analyzed President Trump’s terse statement, alongside that of the to head of AFRICOM, General Anderson, were quick to point out that the “sources” who kept the United States and Nigerian Armed Forces informed of the movements of al-Minuki and his fighters, may be none other than Nigeria’s Intelligence agencies: the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA), and Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).
Interestingly, six days before al-Minuki’s elimination, something crucial to the fight against terrorism happened in one North central town, well over 1,100 kilometres away from Metele, Borno State, where al-Minuki and over 175 of his fighters would meet their Waterloo.
Just as DSS, NIA and DIA operatives were helping US and Nigerian troops monitor the movement of Al-Minuki and his fighters around the Lake Chad region, a set of DSS operatives covertly captured a notorious leader of one of ISWAP’s critical cell in Nigeria . His name is Abdulrahman Ozovieh Muhammad alias Abu Ghozi.
Abu Ghozi, security sources believe, masterminded the December 2020 attack on a military checkpoint in Okene, killing two naval personnel and carting away their weapons.
Additionally, Abu Ghozi is believed to have masterminded the 11th March, 2021 bank robbery at Okuku, in Oda-Atin LGA of Osun State; carried out several attacks on police formations in Okene, Okehi and Adavi LGAs. He didn’t spare security checkpoints along Okene-Auchi, Okene –Kabba and Okene-Ajaokuta roads.
Also believed to be behind several kidnaps, including the October 2025 kidnap of a Chinese national in Okpella, Edo State, during which eight personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were killed, is Abu Ghozi.
In January, 2026, his group reportedly attacked and burnt down the house of the Chief Priest at Uhodo area of Okehi LGA. Members of his suspected terrorist group were, before his arrest by the DSS, reportedly set to attack detention facilities in Kainji and Abuja, to release detained members of their group.
Security sources believe that Abu Ghozi’s capture by DSS officers may have greatly helped the Nigerian Intelligence Services (DSS, NIA and DIA) gather further Intelligence that was ultimately used to nail al-Minuki and his fighters six days later in faraway Metele, Borno State.
No doubt, Nigeria’s Intelligence community and their military counterpart again proved very invaluable to the recent successes in the global fight against terrorism, and helped position Nigeria as a very trusted ally in the fight against terrorism.
For the first time since Nigeria began fighting terrorism circa 2010, the country has now fully turned the heat on terrorists, smoking them.out on a daily basis.. The recent successes recorded shows that with our Armed Forces increasingly relying on the intelligence supplied by the DSS, NIA and DIA, Nigeria will sooner than later overcome her security challenges.
Aminu has been online editor of several newspapers, and lives in Abuja
2027: When Tinubu’s endorsement of Vice President Kashim Shettima’s unwavering support speaks volumes
Troops Arrest Suspected Security Impersonator In Plateau
Security forces Conduct Show of Force In Jos, Bukuru During Church Services
Roger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
FAILED COUP IN BURKINA FASO: HOW TRAORÉ NARROWLY ESCAPED ASSASSINATION PLOT AMID FOREIGN INTERFERENCE CLAIMS
-
News2 years agoRoger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
-
Opinions4 years ago
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
-
News1 year agoFAILED COUP IN BURKINA FASO: HOW TRAORÉ NARROWLY ESCAPED ASSASSINATION PLOT AMID FOREIGN INTERFERENCE CLAIMS
-
News2 years agoEYN: Rev. Billi, Distortion of History, and The Living Tamarind Tree
-
Opinions4 years agoPOLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
ACADEMICS2 years agoA History of Biu” (2015) and The Lingering Bura-Pabir Question (1)
-
Columns2 years agoArmy University Biu: There is certain interest, but certainly not from Borno.
-
Politics12 months ago2027: Why Hon. Midala Balami Must Go, as Youths in Hawul and Asikira/Uba Federal Constituency Reject ₦500,000 as Sallah Gift
