Hostility: Ghana Extends Olive Branch To Nigeria
Following the riot act read by the Federal Government to hostility towards Nigerians in Ghana, the Ghanaian authorities has extended the olive branch, promising commitment to warm relations with Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Ghanaian authority said it would engage the Federal Government of Nigeria with a view to resolve comprehensively and exhaustively matters that have the potential to sour relations between the two countries.
The statement signed by the Ghana Minister of Information, Endkojo Oppong-Nkrumah, was made available to newsmen in Abuja by the Nigeria Ministry of Information and Culture.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government had in a statement on Saturday said it would no longer tolerate the incessant harassment of its citizens in Ghana and the progressive acts of hostility towards the country by Ghanaian authorities.
The statement signed by the Nigeria Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, noted that the government was urgently considering a number of options aimed at ameliorating the situation.
Mohammed had listed the documented acts of hostility towards Nigerians and the authorities by Ghana in the statement. Responding to the protest by the Federal government, the Ghanaian authority expressed concerns and denied any act of hostility towards Nigeria and it’s citizens in Ghana as alleged by the Federal government.
The statement reads in full;“The Government of Ghana notes, with concern, a statement, dated Friday, August 28, 2020, issued by the Ministry of Information and Culture and signed by the Federal Minister, Hon. Lai Mohammed, on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, concerning current relations between Ghana and Nigeria.
“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 resolve comprehensively and exhaustively any matters that have the potential to sour relations between the two countries.
Ghana finds it imperative, however, from the onset, to state, for the public record, that the outline of issues by my Nigerian counterpart is not reflective of the developments in Ghana. Any protests, decisions or actions based on these reports will, thus, be unjustified.
We are obliged, therefore, as a first step, to provide our counterparts, as well as the Ghanaian and Nigerian public, with a more reflective account of events, even as we pursue substantive diplomatic engagements to resolve matters.(I) Accusation:The seizure of the Nigerian Mission’s property located at No. 10, Barnes Road, Accra which has been used as diplomatic premises by the Nigerian Government for almost 50 years; and which action, is a serious breach of the Vienna Convention.Response: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 23rd October 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.2(II) Accusation:Also, even though the main reason given for the seizure of Federal Government property at No. 10 Barnes Road in Accra is the non-renewal of Lease after expiration, the Ghanaian authority did not give Nigeria the right of first refusal or the notice to renew the Lease.
By contrast, the lease on some of the properties occupied by the Ghanaian Mission in Nigeria has long expired, yet such properties have not been seized.Response: The Government of Ghana does not, did not and never owned the land, and has not been involved in the seizure of any property of the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana.
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.(III) Accusationemolition of the Nigerian Mission’s property located at No. 19/21 Julius Nyerere Street, East Ridge, Accra, which constitutes another serious breach of the Vienna Convention.Response:This statement is not factual.
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 Government of Ghana has also agreed to facilitate the proper acquisition of title by the Nigerian High Commission, as announced by Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs at the time of the incident.3(IV) Accusation:Aggressive and incessant deportation of Nigerians from Ghana. Between January 2018 and February 2019, Eight Hundred and Twenty-Five (825) Nigerians were deported from Ghana.Response:This statement is not factual. In 2019, seven hundred (70 Nigerians, who were found to have been involved in criminal activities such as fraud, prostitution, armed robbery etc., were deported.(V) Accusation:Residency permit requirement, for which Ghana Immigration Service has placed huge fees far higher than the fees charged by the Nigerian Immigration Service.
These include the compulsory non- citizen ID card (US$120, US$ 60 for yearly renewal); medical examinations, including for COVID-19 which is newly introduced (about US$ 12, and payment for residency permit (US$ 400 compared to the N700,000 being paid by Ghanaians for residency card in Nigeria).Response:It must be noted that all foreigners, who apply for resident permit in Ghana, pay same fees as stated above.
These fees are not specific to Nigerians.(VI) Accusation:“Media war against Nigerians in Ghana. The negative reportage of issues concerning Nigerians resident in Ghana by the Ghanaian media is fuelling an emerging xenophobic attitude against Nigerian traders and Nigerians in general.
The immediate fallout is the incessant harassment and arrest of Nigerian traders and closure of their shops.”Response:The statement is not factual. There is no media war against Nigerians in Ghana.
There is also no negative reportage on Nigerian residents in Ghana by 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 as a result of infractions on Ghanaian laws. Even then, those affected who are not only Nigerians, have been given ample time to regularise their documents. Furthermore, no Nigerian- owned shops are currently closed.
On the contrary, the negative reportage has been against the Ghanaian Government from high places, (tweets by Foreign Minister of Nigeria and a Nigerian businessman, who appears to have political interests in Ghana), in Nigeria. This is inconsistent with established practice in our very good relations. The Press Release by the Information and Culture Minister of Nigeria is a clear departure from the manner in which officials of the two countries have related with each other in the past.(VII) Accusation:“Nigeria has time after time demonstrated its fidelity to the long cordial relations with Ghana.
But indications especially in recent times, are that Nigeria’s stance is now being taken for granted and its citizens being made targets of harassment and objects of ridicule.
This will no longer be tolerated under any guise.”Response: Ghana has always demonstrated her commitment to excellent relations with Nigeria which is evidenced by the manner in which Ghanaian Government officials dealt with recent issues, which have had severe economic impact on our country.Ghana did not resort to any media war.
However
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