Last Saturday, July 26, 2025, some Ghanaians, led by Hassan Ayariga, the leader of the All Peoples Congress (APC), embarked on a demonstration dubbed “Nigeria Must Go” to ostensibly drive away all Nigerians living in Ghana. The protesters claim that Nigerians living in Ghana are responsible for mass prostitution, kidnapping, fraud, armed robbery among others, and that the only way to tackle these social vices is for the government to drive Nigerians out of the country.
It is quite shocking that Hassan Ayariga, who has an ambition to be president of Ghana, which is part of ECOWAS, is spearheading what can safely be described as xenophobic campaigns.
This “Nigeria Must Go” campaign is not only misguided but profoundly dangerous, directly violating the spirit and letter of ECOWAS protocols. As a member of the Economic Community of West African States, Ghana is bound by agreements that facilitate the free movement of people, goods, and services across member states. We have a functioning ECOWAS Parliament, based in Abuja, Nigeria, where Ghanaian Members of Parliament actively participate and contribute. How can we, with such deep regional ties and parliamentary representation, ignorantly advocate for the expulsion of an entire nationality? This reckless agenda threatens the very foundation of regional integration that Ghana has consistently championed.
Furthermore, it is imperative to acknowledge the significant contributions of Nigerians to Ghana’s economy. Many Nigerian business owners operate legitimate enterprises here, employing a considerable number of Ghanaians and contributing to our national development. To disregard these economic realities and paint an entire nationality with a criminal brush is not only unjust but economically short-sighted. Hassan Ayariga and his sympathizers must understand that such aggressive actions can have severe retaliatory ramifications. Ghanaians are also residing and contributing to the economic activities of Nigeria and other African countries. A “Nigeria Must Go” campaign in Ghana could easily provoke a “Ghana Must Go” response elsewhere, placing countless innocent Ghanaians in vulnerable positions abroad.
It is undeniable that isolated incidents of criminal activity may involve individuals of various nationalities, including some Nigerians. However, to extrapolate these isolated acts and brand all Nigerians as criminals is a gross generalization and utterly unacceptable. Such broad-brush accusations ignore the vast majority of law-abiding Nigerians who live and work peacefully in Ghana. Moreover, it overlooks the intricate social fabric woven by countless intermarriages between Ghanaians and Nigerians. What becomes of the children and relatives of these unions if this xenophobic threat is carried out? This campaign utterly disregards the deeply personal human cost of its hateful rhetoric. Let me sound a note of caution: this ill-advised campaign will send the wrong signals to investors, especially other African brothers who would want to invest in the country
The government of Ghana and members of the ECOWAS Parliament must urgently intervene and bring Hassan Ayariga and his ilk to order before an unthinkable scenario unfolds. This reckless agenda will only embolden lawless elements, potentially leading to unwarranted attacks on innocent and law-abiding Nigerians if this evil campaign is allowed to escalate.
