Nigerian govt lists Ghana’s sins, says it’ll no longer tolerate abuses

The Federal Government has listed some of the maltreatments Ghana has meted out on Nigeria and its citizens and vowed that it would no longer tolerate ‘offences’ by the country.

Nigerian traders in Ghana recently accused Ghanaian authorities of illegally closing their shops.

The event came after a Ghanaian also not long ago, pulled down part of Nigeria’s mission in Accra, the country’s capital.

Apparently uncomfortable with these developments and many others in the past, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed in a statement on Friday regretted that while the over one million Ghanaians resident in Nigeria continued to enjoy the hospitality of Africa’s most populous nation, Nigerians in Ghana were being maltreated.

He said, “The federal government has been documenting the acts of hostility towards Nigeria and Nigerians by the Ghanaian authorities. These include; seizure of the Nigerian Mission’s property located at No. 10, Barnes Road, Accra, which the Nigerian Government has used as diplomatic premises for almost 50 years.

“Demolition of the Nigerian Mission’s property located at No. 19/21 Julius Nyerere Street, East Ridge, Accra, another serious breach of the Vienna Convention.

“Aggressive and incessant deportation of Nigerians from Ghana; between Jan. 2018 and Feb. 2019, 825 Nigerians were deported from Ghana.

READ ALSO: Attacks on Nigerians in Ghana must be dealt with decisively —Gbajabiamila

“The federal government will like to put on record the fact that even though over 1 million Ghanaians are resident in Nigeria, they are not being subjected to the kind of hostility being meted out to Nigerians in Ghana.

“Also, Even though the main reason that was given for the seizure of Federal Government property at No. 10, Barnes Road in Accra is the non-renewal of the lease after expiration, the Ghanaian authorities 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.

“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.”

The minister, meanwhile, advised Nigerians in Ghana to continue to be law-abiding and not resort to self-help.

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