Accra, Aug.30, GNA – The Government on Sunday refuted accusations by the Nigerian Federal Government of intimidation and mistreatment of Nigerian nationals in Ghana.
In a six-page statement, signed by Information Minister, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, the Government gave the assurance of its resolve to continue engaging the Nigerian Government to resolve any matter that had the potential of souring the two countries’ cordial relations.
The Nigerian Federal Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, in a statement issued on behalf of the Government on Friday, August 28, 2020, accused Ghana of intimidation and mistreatment of Nigerian nationals.
Some concerns raised were the seizure of Nigerian High Commission’s property, deportation of Nigerians from Ghana, harassment of her traders in Ghana, and negative reportage on her nationals by the Ghanaian media among other diplomatic issues.
The Government of Ghana has, however, described those accusations as incorrect.
“Ghana remains committed to the maintenance of warm relations with all sister nations, particularly, for well-known historical reasons, with the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and will proceed to engage the Federal Government of Nigeria with a view to resolving comprehensively and exhaustively any matters that have the potential to sour relations between the two countries,” the statement said.
“Ghana finds it imperative, however, from the onset, to state, for the public record, that the outline of issues by the Nigerian Federal Minister is not reflective of the developments in Ghana. Any protests, decisions or actions based on these reports will, thus, be unjustified.”
Government gave the assurance of providing a more reflective account of events while urging both countries to pursue substantive diplomatic engagements to resolve matters.
The statement said President Akufo-Addo, who had a very excellent relations with his Nigerian counterpart, would engage President Muhammadou Buhari with a view to developing, immediately, a framework for validating claims of ill-treatment of citizens of either countries and ensure they enjoyed the full exercise of their rights while respecting their sovereignty and laws.
GNA