Demolishing Of Nigerian High Commissioner Building Reckless Act Of Aggression — Ablakwa

The Minority in Parliament has condemned the demolishing of the Nigerian High Commission’s building in Accra.

A statement released and signed by Ranking Member of Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has described the act as “reckless act of aggression.”

According to the minority, the act violates international law and gravely undermines Ghana’s long-standing diplomatic relations with Nigeria.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a release, denounced the act, and described the perpetrators as “unidentified individuals.”

But Minority NDC stated that “we are disgusted at a statement purportedly issued by Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Ministry dated the 20th of June, 2020 which states that the perpetrators are unidentified and unknown to authorities when by all eyewitness accounts, the demolishing was carried out under the full protection of state security. We hope the Foreign Ministry is not laying the foundation for a grand cover up. We hereby serve notice that the Minority shall resist any such attempt.”

The minority has however expressed its solidarity and sympathies with the Nigerian neighbours and urges calm amongst the citizenry of both nations, whiles demanding an independent public enquiry to unravel the perpetrators.

Read Below Full Statement:

PRESS STATEMENT BY THE NDC MINORITY IN PARLIAMENT ON THE SHOCKING DEMOLISHING OF PROPERTIES BELONGING TO THE NIGERIAN HIGH COMMISSION IN ACCRA, GHANA

The Minority in Ghana’s Parliament is appalled and deeply embarrassed at the shocking demolishing of properties belonging to the Nigerian High Commission in Accra under the cover of darkness on the 19th of June 2020.

The Minority forcefully condemns in no uncertain terms this totally reckless act of aggression which violates international law and gravely undermines Ghana’s longstanding diplomatic relations with Nigeria.

The Minority, further, wishes to state that we are disgusted at a statement purportedly issued by Ghana’s Foreign Ministry dated the 20th of June, 2020 which states that the perpetrators are unidentified and unknown to authorities when by all eyewitness accounts, the demolishing was carried out under the full protection of state security. We hope the Foreign Ministry is not laying the foundation for a grand cover up. We hereby serve notice that the Minority shall resist any such attempt.

The Government of Ghana must not underestimate the implications of this reckless act of unprovoked aggression not only for Ghana-Nigeria relations but also the negative reverberations in larger diplomatic quarters.

The Minority, therefore, demands an independent public enquiry to thoroughly unearth the facts with the view of bringing the perpetrators to justice. Nothing short of this will suffice.

In the meantime, while expressing our solidarity and sympathies with our Nigerian neighbours; the NDC Minority in Parliament wishes to urge calm particularly amongst the citizenry of both nations as we step up efforts in demanding justice. There must be no reprisal action which would only exacerbate the already volatile situation.

May we be guided by the ancestral bond of friendship between our two great nations as we navigate the processes leading to an amicable resolution of this terribly unfortunate and avoidable impasse.

Signed,

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa

[MP, North Tongu

Ranking Member, Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs]

21st June, 2020