Ghana apologises to Nigeria after embassy was demolished
Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo has apologised to Nigeria after a building inside the Nigerian High Commission compound in Accra was demolished. President Akufo-Addo reportedly phoned his Nigerian counterpart, Muhammadu Buhari to express “his sincere apology’’ over the incident, which has sparked emotions in Nigeria.
Armed men reportedly stormed the compound last week and destroyed buildings under construction. Two people have been arrested over the incident and have been charged with unlawful entry and causing unlawful damage.
The Nigerian government condemned the night attack, describing it as an “act of aggression.” The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, Mr Yusuf Buba, also describes the demolition as “infringing upon the international rights of Nigeria, an invasion of Nigeria’s sovereignty and an external aggression on the Nigerian state.”
These words come as Nigeria’s House of Representatives demanded that Ghana should face the consequences of its actions and inactions, prompting Mr Akufo-Addo to order a full investigation, President Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant, Garba Shehu, said in a statement.
A source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that a businessman had previously claimed ownership of the piece of land where the Nigerian High Commission’s staff quarters were erected. The source equally stated that the man showed up last week with papers to support his claim and began to knock down the fence surrounding the building.
Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama said a bulldozer was used during the 19 June incident which destroyed two residential buildings.
He called the demolition “outrageous and criminal” and urged Ghanaian authorities to protect Nigeria’s diplomatic buildings in their nation.
Nigerians living in Ghana held a demonstration on Monday to condemn the demolition.
The country’s former President, John Mahama, however, condemned the demolition and criticised his successor’s government.
“It beats my imagination how such a violent and noisy destruction could occur without our security agents picking up the signals to avert the damage,” Mr Mahama tweeted.
As the largest economies in West Africa, the political relationship between Ghana and Nigeria is vital to the region, and trade is a key part of that relationship. Recent incidents serve as a reminder that their diplomatic relations have not always been smooth, considering last year’s conflict over the status of foreign traders that led to the temporary closure of some Nigerian-owned shops in Ghana.
Both sides understand today the need for close bilateral relations. Few expect to see the type of tension witnessed in 1969-70 and 1983, when a large number of citizens were expelled from both sides.