Business

TUC Tackles FG’s Serial Borrowing, Rising Cost Of Living
Finance, News, Nigeria

TUC Tackles FG’s Serial Borrowing, Rising Cost Of Living

The Trade union Congress, TUC, has faulted the Federal Government over the spike in the cost of goods and services across the country, saying it has negated the benefits of the National Minimum Wage, which some states have yet to implement. The union also condemned the spate of external borrowings, advising the government to harness the country’s natural endowments, advising the government to avoid mortgaging the future of Nigeria. Mohammad Yunusa, National Treasurer of TUC, and President-General of the Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies, disclosed this in an interview with journalists in Abuja, shortly after the Central Working Committee meeting on Saturday. Yunusa also noted that members of the association condemned in strong terms ...
Respect the Sovereignty of Ghana, Ghana Traders Tell Buhari
Ghana, News, Nigeria, Trade

Respect the Sovereignty of Ghana, Ghana Traders Tell Buhari

The Ghana Union of Traders Association has reacted to the ministerial delegation sent by President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria to Ghana in a bid to resolve the rift between Ghana and Nigeria traders, describing it as needless. Dr Joseph Obeng, the President of the Association said the country is only ensuring enforcement of its laws and would not soft pedal. Obeng disclosed this in an interview with GhanaWeb. He said, "Their coming here is needless. Their speaker came to Ghana and understood that Ghana is not doing anything badly against their citizens and only enforcing its laws. We will not relent on the pressure we are giving to the government to enforce the laws that are made for the people of Ghana." Obeng further accused the Nigerian government of not respecting the trade...
FG Sends Ministerial Delegation to Ghana to Address Nigeria/Ghanaian Traders Rift
Ghana, News, Nigeria, Trade

FG Sends Ministerial Delegation to Ghana to Address Nigeria/Ghanaian Traders Rift

President Muhammadu Buhari has sent a ministerial delegation to Ghana to tackle the persistent rift between Nigerian traders and the Ghanaian authorities. Mr Ifedayo Sayo, the Special Assistant to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, in a statement said issued on Monday said the minister will lead the delegation to Ghana. The statement said the delegation which compromised of eminent stakeholders would also engage in further dialogue with Ghanaian authorities to find a sustainable solution to the lingering clash, NAN reports. Sayo in the statement said the delegation would undertake the visit between May 31 and June 1, 2021. Recall that the Nigerian traders in Ghana had been having issues with Ghanaian Authorities for several years with record...
Why Nigerian Traders Must Go – Ghanaian Traders
Ghana, News, Nigeria

Why Nigerian Traders Must Go – Ghanaian Traders

The Ghana Union of Traders Association, GUTA, at Kasao in the Central region has warned it would shut down shops of foreigners, especially Nigerians, involved in retail business in the area. The group cited the inimical impact of foreigners engaged in retail business on local sellers as the rationale for the threat. According to the General Secretary of GUTA at Kasoa, Bright Agyemang, in his interaction with journalists expressed worry over the government's inability to enforce the laws on foreign businesses in Ghana. In a report by local medium, Ghanaweb, he said members of the association are furious and becoming impatient towards the continuous invasion of foreigners in the retail business. He beckoned on the government to address the issue to avoid it from degenerating. ...
Ghana Traders Union Oppose Call to Reopen Nigerians’ Shops
Ghana, Labour, Life, Nigeria

Ghana Traders Union Oppose Call to Reopen Nigerians’ Shops

Following calls by some Nigerian traders for their shops to be reopened after months of lockdown, the Ashanti regional branch of the Ghana Union of Traders Association, GUTA, has urged President Akufo-Addo to disregard such clamour. Recall that there has been friction between Ghanaian traders and their counterparts from other countries, especially Nigerians. The indigenous traders opined that based on local laws, the foreign traders had no legal backing to engage in retail trade as their activities portend negative impact on local traders. To this effect, the government inaugurated a presidential committee to scrutinize all foreigners engaged in trading activities. Consequently, many shops owned by foreigners were shutdown, Modernghana reports The former President for All Ni...
Amazon Chooses South Africa for its African Headquarters
News, South Africa

Amazon Chooses South Africa for its African Headquarters

Amazon is set to open its African headquarters in South Africa with real estate investment in the region of R4 billion. Reports in Cape Town said Amazon would be situated at a new development in River Club, a key section of the city. The 15-hectare parcel of land will cost about R4 billion and include two precincts. Authorities said the first precinct of 60,000sqm would occupy different layers of development, while the second section of 70,000 will hold Amazon headquarters in Africa. "US retail giant, Amazon, will be the anchor tenant, opening a base of operations on the African continent," Cape Town city officials said in a statement. "The development is envisaged to take place in phases, with construction set to take place over three to five years." Over 5,000 direct construc...
Dangote: We Lose Multi-Million Dollars to Meet Nigeria’s Cement Demand
News, Nigeria

Dangote: We Lose Multi-Million Dollars to Meet Nigeria’s Cement Demand

The management of Dangote Cement Plc has said that cost of cement is cheaper in Nigeria compared to Ghana and Zambia and that it is encountering losses in dollar revenue to meet the demand in Nigeria. The group in a statement issued on Tuesday in Lokoja by Devakumar Edwin, the company’s Group Executive Director in charge of Strategy, Portfolio Development, and Capital Projects, said the company could not control the cement’s price in the open market. “To ensure that we meet local demands, we had to suspend exports from our recently inaugurated export terminals, thereby foregoing dollar earnings,” he said, adding that the company also reactivated its 4.5 million ton capacity Gboko plant. “While a bag of cement sells for an equivalent of $5.1, including VAT in Nigeria, it sells for ...
Why Our Cement Costs Less in Zambia Than Nigeria – Dangote Cement Plc
Cost of Living, News, Nigeria

Why Our Cement Costs Less in Zambia Than Nigeria – Dangote Cement Plc

Following the uproar generated by the recent reports that Dangote Cement Plc sells cement at a higher price than it sells to other countries, Zambia notably, its management has clarified that a bag of cement from its factories and plants across Nigeria (as of 12th April 2021) is N2,450 in Obajana and Gboko and N2,510 in Ibese, VAT inclusive. Reports recently surfaced that Dangote cement sells for 110 Kwacha in Zambia which is equivalent to about N1,800 in naira, while Nigerian consumers buy the same product for at least N3,500. Reacting, the Dangote Cement Group has said it cannot control the prices of its products when it gets to the market. Devakumar Edwin, the group’s Executive Director, Strategy, Portfolio Development and Capital Projects, disclosed that while a bag of Cement ...
Okonjo-Iweala will drive Global Trade – World Bank
Economy, Interview, News, Nigeria

Okonjo-Iweala will drive Global Trade – World Bank

The international financial architecture is ‘skewed in favor of rich and creditor countries’, the World Bank said yesterday. President of the bank, David Malpass exposed the partial state of the architecture at the close of the World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings 2021 Development Committee meeting, in Washington D.C. yesterday. He said the disturbing state of the global financial system was exposed last year by the COVID-19 pandemic, which made challenges and staggering needs of every country’s economy even clearer. Malpass said: “One major challenge is that the current international financial architecture is heavily skewed in favor of the rich and creditor countries. It is ever important that all voices are heard. I urge all of us to consider how we can restore growth in developing co...
Why Zambia Govt Ordered Dangote to Reduce Cement Cost
News, Nigeria

Why Zambia Govt Ordered Dangote to Reduce Cement Cost

The Zambia Board of Commissioners of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has said it ordered Dangote Cement Zambia Limited alongside the Lafarge Zambia Plc and Mpande Limestone Limited to peg cement price between Kwacha 99 to Kwacha 110 following public outcry over its recent hike. The Dangote Cement Group sells its product at a maximum of Kwacha 110 which is equivalent to about N1,800 in Nigeria, while the company sells the same product for not less than N3,500 in Nigeria. According to the Board, it also fined Lafarge Zambia Plc and Mpande Limestone Limited 10% of their annual turnovers for the year 2019 and another 10% of their 2020 yearly turnovers for price-fixing and division of markets. Dangote Cement Zambia was, however, spared for having cooperated with the ...