The
Ghanaian government says the assertions by Nigeria’s Minister of Information,
Lai Mohammed, are not reflective of the developments in Ghana, thus any protest
or action based on such submissions will be unjustified.
Ghanaian Minister of Information, Kojo Nkrumah, disclosed this in a
statement on Sunday in Accra in response to the statement by his Nigerian
counterpart on Friday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mohammed had listed the
seizure and demolition of properties owned by the Federal Government in Ghana,
the deportation of 825 Nigerians, closure of shops belonging to Nigerians,
including the introduction of stringent residency permit requirements as part
of Ghana’s acts of hostility against the country.
Nkrumah said in order to maintain its sisterly relations with Nigeria,
Ghana could provide both the Ghanaian and Nigerian publics with a more
reflective account of events.
He said the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, would engage with
President Muhammadu Buhari with a view to developing immediately, a framework
for validating claims of ill-treatment of citizens of either country.
“Ghana remains committed to the maintenance of warm relations with all
sister nations, particularly, for well-known historical reasons, with the
Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“And will proceed to engage the Federal Government of Nigeria with a view
to resolving comprehensively and exhaustively, any matters that have the
potential to sour relations between the two countries,” Nkrumah said.
He said the statement on the seizure of the Nigerian mission’s property
located at No. 10, Barnes Road, Accra, which had been
used as diplomatic premises by Nigeria for almost 50 years; and which action,
is a serious breach of the Vienna Convention was inaccurate.
“This statement is inaccurate. The transaction was a commercial arrangement
between Thomas D. Hardy, a private citizen and the High Commission of Nigeria
in Ghana on Oct. 23, 1959.
“The terms of the Commercial Lease expired 46 years ago, without any
evidence of renewal by the High Commission of Nigeria in Ghana. The Government
of Ghana was not involved in the transaction and has not seized the property in
question,” Nkrumah said.
The Ghanaian minister further said “Ghana does not, did not and never
owned the land in question”, and was not involved in the seizure of any property
of the Nigerian High Commission in the country.
“The land in question is owned by the Osu Stool and managed by the Lands
Commission.
“In response to the claim that the lease on some of the properties owned
by the Ghana Mission in Nigeria has long expired, it must be noted that the
government acquired a freehold land at Pope John Paul II Street in Abuja in
1989 through a commercial arrangement.
“And
built the current structures on it. The staff of the Ghana High Commission in
Abuja have been living there since the construction of the current structures,”
he added.
“A search at the Lands Commission indicated that the Nigerian High
Commission failed to complete the documentation process after paying for the
land in the year 2000 A.D.
“The High Commission failed to acquire the lease and land title
certificate, which constitute documentation for the said property, as well as a
building permit for construction. In Ghana, land is owned not only by the
government, but also by stools and families.
“The demolition of the property was not carried out by agents of the
Ghanaian government, but by agents of the Osu Stool. Nonetheless, the
Government of Ghana, valuing the relations between our two countries, has
decided to restore the property, at its own cost to its original state for the
Nigerian High Commission, and has duly communicated same to the Nigerian
Authorities,” the Ghanaian minister added.
On the deportation of 825 Nigerians by Ghanaian authorities, Nkrumah said,
“In 2019, seven hundred (700) Nigerians, who were found to have been involved
in criminal activities such as fraud, prostitution, armed robbery etc., were
deported.”
Nkrumah said all foreigners, who applied for resident permit in Ghana,
we’re required to pay same fees, adding that the fees Nigerians were asked to
pay wer not specific to them only.
On the issue of media war against Nigerians in Ghana by the Ghanaian
media, which Mohammed said was fueling an emerging xenophobic attitude against
Nigerian traders and Nigerians in general, Nkrumah said: “The statement is not
factual. There is no media war against Nigerians in Ghana.
“There are also no negative reports on Nigerian residents in Ghana by the
Ghanaian media, which could potentially lead to xenophobic attitude towards
Nigerians, particularly Nigerian traders in Ghana.
“No Nigerian trader has been arrested. The closure of shops was a result
of infractions on Ghanaian laws.
“Even then, those affected who are not only Nigerian, have been given
ample time to regularise their documents. Furthermore, no Nigerian-owned shops
are currently closed.
“Ghana’s Minister for Trade and Industry personally intervened to ensure
the reopening of closed shops, pending compliance with Ghana’s laws by their
operators.
“Ghana’s courts, at all material times, function independently, and with
strict respect for the Laws of Ghana, regardless of the nationalities of
accused persons.
“Judges neither convict nor sentence with a bias for or against
nationalities. Nigerians and Ghanaians convicted for same offenses are not
treated differently.” (NAN)
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