The House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs has condemned the demolishing of Nigerian Embassy staff quarters in Accra. The House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs says Ghana must face the consequences of its actions and in actions as a bulldozer invaded and demolished Nigerian Embassy staff quarters in Accra.
In a statement by its chairman, Rep. Yusuf Buba on Monday, the committee frowned at the act, saying it infringed the International Rights of Nigeria. Buba described the act as an invasion of Nigerian’s sovereignty and as an external aggression on the Nigerian state. The lawmaker said that it was a gross violation of all known conventions and treaties on diplomatic relations and friendship between both countries. He said that a high-capacity bulldozer was deployed by some unnamed Ghanaian nationals to invade the diplomatic premises of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Accra, Ghana.
According to him, a witness narrated how a heavy-duty bulldozer had arrived at the diplomatic premises at late hours of the night and broken through the gate. Narrating the witness’s account, Buba said the bulldozer demolished four units of the nearly-completed four-bedroom block of flats. He said the buildings were awaiting the occupation by some members of the Nigeria Diplomatic Mission in Accra in the mission premises.
“While the demolition lasted, several frantic efforts were said to have been made by members of the Nigeria Mission to report what was ongoing to both the Ghana Police Service and their Foreign Affairs Ministry. In spite of those efforts, no reprieve, we were told, came the way of the Nigerian diplomats. We further learnt that, even when the Police finally arrived the scene, they could not do anything.”
Buba said that that the present Nigeria mission in Accra, constituted a four hectares of land that was officially allocated to Nigeria as part of the agreement to situate the mission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Ghana. “Nigeria possessed all necessary legal titles and certifications, including site plan, payment receipts and allocation papers from the Ghanaian authorities in respect of the land. The chairman condemned the act of trespass committed saying that it is a breach of the Vienna Convention and bears the capacity to cause a diplomatic row and escalate tension between our country and Ghana.
“The action, and indeed, inaction which makes the authorities complicit in the act, the Ghanaian people violated many an article in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1949 and, therefore, must be sanctioned. As a parliament, we stand resolute to do everything within our powers to review, re-appraise and re-examine the relationship of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with the Republic of Ghana.
“We shall deploy all legislative means within our disposal, including exploring and invoking all necessary rules, regulations and instruments that guide our common membership in other parliaments, to compel the Republic of Ghana to answer for this act of gross violation and abuse of the immunities of the Nigeria mission and its staff,” Buba said.
According to him, Nigeria cannot let this one pass silently in the name of diplomacy from a big-brother nation as in the past. The lawmaker said that Nigeria’s High Commissioner must be recalled by the Executive arm of the government for consultation. He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to invite the Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria to provide answers to questions. The committee called on all peoples and nations of goodwill across the globe to condemn that act of aggression by the Republic of Ghana against the Federal Republic of Nigeria on its soil.
Meanwhile, the Nigerians in Diaspora Organization (NIDO), Ghana chapter, and the Government of Ghana on Monday reacted to the attacks on Nigerian residential buildings in that country. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that unknown armed men stormed the Nigerian High Commissioner’s residence in Accra, Ghana, with bulldozers and demolished a block of uncompleted apartments on the property on the night of June 19.
Reacting to the development, the Vice-President of NIDO-Ghana, Mr. Kingsley Attoe, in a telephone interview with NAN in Abuja, urged the Federal Government to take urgent steps to address the situation. He described the building to have been constructed to house staff and visiting diplomats to the High Commission before it was demolished. The NIDO-Ghana vice president noted that no arrest had so far been made on the attack. Attoe said: “The attack occurred at 10 p.m. on June 19, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had issued statement to condemn that act. “There was no record of injury and the security operatives have been harassed over the incident.
“Our Charge D’ Affairs was asked to leave or be bulldozed. She had to leave the place after calling the police headquarters, which is just a few meters away. The information we have is that the High Commission was not informed, the guy who is said to be a business man claims he own the land title in 2019. We are petitioning the Foreign Affairs Committee, the Presidency in Nigeria, National Assembly and other relevant authorities in Nigeria, we need to act fast.” He described Ghana as a sister nation, which most Nigerians loved and are proud of, noting that some Nigerians do businesses there peacefully with great Ghanaians, like renowned Journalist, Kwasi Pratt.
He also noted that no High Commissioner had been appointed from Nigeria to Ghana, but that NIDO and other Nigerian associations had gone out to sort out the issue on ground. He said although there was no proof the action was backed by Ghana government, Nigerian government should show displeasure over such action. In its reaction, the Ghanaian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration in a statement said unidentified individuals allegedly breached the premises of the High Commission and demolished the property under construction at about 10.30 pm. “The Ministry views with concern this development which is a breach of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (VCDR, 1961). “Investigations are ongoing to unravel the facts of the matter and bring the perpetrators to book.
“Meanwhile Ghanaian government has beefed-up security at the said facility and the situation is under control. Whilst expressing regrets over the incident the Ministry wishes to reassure the Diplomatic community in Ghana and the Nigerian High Commission in particular that Ghana remains law-abiding country. Ghana upholds the principle of the rule of law, where due process is followed at all times. “The government will therefore, not relent on its primary obligation to guarantee the safety of members of Diplomatic Corps in Ghana,” the statement said. Meanwhile, the Federal Government, through Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama, had protested to the Ghanaian authorities on the development. (NAN)
