Reps committee demands retaliation over demolition in Nigeria’s embassy
The House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs says Ghana must face the consequences of its actions and inactions following the demolition of some buildings housing the Nigerian Embassy staff quarters in Accra.
Chairman of the House Committee, Rep. Yusuf Buba in a statement on Monday, frowned at the act, saying it infringes on the rights of Nigeria for anyone to invade a foreign embassy.
Rep. Buba described the act as an invasion of Nigerian’s sovereignty and as an external aggression on the Nigerian state, declaring further that it is a gross violation of all known conventions and treaties on diplomatic relations and friendship between countries.
He said that a high-capacity bulldozer was deployed by some unnamed Ghanaians to invade the diplomatic premises of Nigeria in Accra.
According to him, a witness narrated how a heavy-duty bulldozer arrived at the diplomatic premises at the late hours of the night, broke through the gate and demolished four units of the nearly-completed four-bedroom block of flats.
He said the buildings were awaiting occupation by some members of the Nigeria diplomatic mission in Accra.
“While the demolition lasted, several frantic efforts were said to have been made by members of the Nigeria Mission to report what was ongoing to both the Ghana Police Service and their foreign affairs ministry.
“In spite of those efforts, no reprieve, we were told came the way of the Nigerian diplomats. We further learnt that, even when the police finally arrived the scene, they could not do anything,’’ he said.
The House committee chairman said that that the present Nigeria mission in Accra is on a four hectares piece of land that was officially allocated to Nigeria as part of the agreement to situate the mission in Ghana.
“Nigeria possessed all necessary legal titles and certifications, including site plan, payment receipts and allocation papers from the Ghanaian authorities in respect of the land,’’ he added.
The lawmaker condemned the act of trespass committed, saying that it is a breach of the Vienna Convention and has the capacity to cause a diplomatic row as well as escalate tension between the two countries.
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“The action and indeed, inaction which makes the authorities complicit in the act, the Ghanaian people violated many an article in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1949 and therefore, must be sanctioned.
“As a parliament, we stand resolute to do everything within our powers to review, re-appraise and re-examine our relations with the Republic of Ghana.
“We shall deploy all legislative means within our disposal, including exploring and invoking all necessary rules, regulations and instruments that guide our common membership in other parliaments, to compel the Republic of Ghana to answer for this act of gross violation and abuse of the immunities of the Nigeria mission and its staff,’’ Rep. Buba said.
The lawmaker said that Nigeria’s high commissioner must be recalled by the Presidency for consultation and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to invite the Ghana’s high commissioner to Nigeria to provide answers to lingering questions.
