Banner Online News

Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, Nigeria’s Foreign Minister.

By Ifeanyi Nwoko
Nigeria has expressed satisfaction over the moves by the Government of Ghana to address the demolition of the residence of the Nigerian High Commissioner in Accra.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, told newsmen in Abuja on Thursday, that the government had taken note of the efforts of President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo and Ghanaian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayokor Botchwey to calm the situation.

Onyeama, however, expressed concerns that reports indicated that the perpetrators of the act were unhindered and had a lot of time despite calls to the Ghanaian authorities by the Charge d’Affaires of the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana.

He added that further reports indicated that the security operatives who were on ground during the demolition, seemed to have been supportive of those carrying out the violation on Nigeria’s Sovereign territory in Ghana.

The minister noted that the perpetrators had been arrested and arraigned in court and the government of Ghana had apologised and equally promised to rectify all the pending paper works that led to the misinformation of the Lands Commission in Ghana.

“The Government of Ghana has assumed total responsibility and with the apology, have made it clear that they will be responsible for restitution – rebuilding the building to the state that it was when it was destroyed.

“So, this is to say that the matter has been satisfactorily resolved and that at very highest level as I mentioned, President Muhammadu Buhari personally engaged in this process.

“The President of Ghana has apologised, those who carried out the action have been arrested and charged to court and the Ghana government has agreed to rebuild the property.

“So, we would like to put the matter to rest and to acknowledge the very speedy reaction of the Ghanaian government and to say that we will now continue to further strengthen relations between our two countries, take lessons learnt from what has happened and move ahead without recriminations,” Onyeama said.