Aidoghie Paulinus and Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The Federal Government has summoned the Chargè d’ Affaires of the High Commission of Ghana in Nigeria, Ms Iva Denoo, to express its displeasure over the demolition of a block of apartments within the residence of the Nigerian High Commissioner in Accra, Ghana.
“Summoned the Chargè d’ Affaires of the High Commission of Ghana to Nigeria, Ms Iva Denoo to demand urgent explanation on the recent attacks on a residential building in our diplomatic premises and reinforcement of security around diplomatic premises and staff,” Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, disclosed this on his Twitter handle.
The Federal Government said the demolition carried out purportedly on the instruction of the Ghana Urban Development Agency was a clear violation of the extant provisions of the 1963 Vienna Convention on inviolability of diplomatic premises.
Spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ferdinand Nwonye, in a statement in Abuja, said the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana has submitted a strongly worded letter of protest to the Ghanaian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration to register its displeasure over the development.
“The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn by the Nigeria High Commission, Accra, Ghana, to the fact that some unidentified persons purportedly on the instruction of the Ghana Urban Development Agency, wilfully carried out the demolition of a building belonging to the Nigeria High Commission and located within the premises of the High Commissioner’s Residence in Accra, without prior notification.
“This action is in clear violation of the extant provisions of the 1963 Vienna Convention on inviolability of diplomatic premises.
“Accordingly, the Nigeria High Commission has submitted a strongly worded letter of protest to the host Foreign Ministry, unequivocally registering the displeasure of the Nigerian Government and calling on the competent Ghanaian authorities to take urgent steps to apprehend the perpetrators and provide appropriate security for the High Commission’s premises and staff.”
Nwonye also said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was engaging robustly with the Ghanaian Government with a view to seeking immediate redress.
However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, said the demolition was an indication that the Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) has destroyed the respect and honour other countries had for Nigeria.
The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the situation in Ghana has again highlighted the poor rating of the Buhari Presidency by other nations,
The opposition party noted that the demolition exposed the Presidency’s alleged lack of capacity to meaningfully engage other world leaders on diplomatic issues.
It said it was disheartening that since the incident, President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC have not done enough to preserve the nation’s integrity beyond the tepid statements by Onyema.
The opposition party charged President Buhari to rise up to both his domestic and international responsibilities and save the country from “further embarrassing situations across the globe.”