Following recent harassment of its citizens in Ghana by the Ghanaian authorities, the Federal Government has disclosed that it will no longer tolerate such behaviour. The Federal Government is said to be urgently considering various options aimed at improving the situation.
According to a statement released by Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, the Federal Government has documented various acts of hostility towards Nigeria and Nigerians by the Ghanaian authorities which include:
- Seizure of the Nigeria Mission’s property located at No. 10, Barnes Road, Accra, which the Nigerian Government has used as diplomatic premises for almost 50 year. This action is a serious breach of the Vienna Convention.
- Demolition of the Nigeria Mission’s property located at No. 19/21 Julius Nyerere Street, East Ridge, Accra, is also another breach of the Vienna Convention.
- Aggressive and incessant deportation of Nigerians from Ghana. it is noted that between January 2018 and Febuary 2019, 825 Nigerians were deported from Ghana.
- Closure of Shops belonging to Nigerians. Over 300 Nigerians shops were locked for 4 months in Kumasi in 2018; over 600 locked in 2019 and currently over 250 shops are being locked.
- Residency Permit requirements, for which the Ghana Immigration service has placed a huge fees, far higher than ones charged by the Nigeria Immigration service. These include the compulsory Non-citizen ID card (US$120 and US$60 for yearly renewal); Medical examination including for Covid-19 which is newly introduced (about US$120) and payment for residency permit (US$400 compared to N7,000 being paid by Ghanaians for residency card in Nigeria)
- Outrageous stipulations in the Ghana Investment Promotion centre Act. When the Act was initially promulgated in 1994, a foreigner is required to invest at least US$300,000 by way of equity capital and also employ 10 Ghanaians. This act has now been amended twice, with the 2018 GIPC Act raising the minimum capital base for foreign-owned businesses to US$1,000,000. Though targeted at foreigners, it seems GIPC’s definition of foreigners is Nigerians, of which the Act itself negates the ECOWAS Protocol.
- Media war against Nigerians in Ghana. The negative reportage of issues concerning Nigerian residents in Ghana by the Ghanaian media is fueling an emerging xenophobic attitude towards Nigerian traders and Nigerians in general. The immediate fallout is the incessant harassment and arrest of Nigerian traders and closure of their shops.
- Harsh and openly-biased judicial trial and pronouncement of indiscriminately long terms for convicted Nigerians. There are currently over 200 Nigerians in the Nsawam maximum prison in Ghana alone.
The Federal Government said it will like to put on record that it never subjected any Ghanaian resident of Nigeria and stands at a record of over 1 million to the kind of hostility being meted out on its citizen in Ghana.
It also noted that even though the reason gave for the seizure of Federal Government Property at No. 10, Barnes road in Accra is the non-renewal of lease after expiration; the Ghanaian authorities never gave Nigeria the right of first refusal or the notice to renew the lease.
By contrast, lease on some of the properties occupied by the Ghanaian Mission in Nigeria has long expired, yet such property has not been seized.
It will also be noted that Nigeria has over time demonstrated its fidelity to the long cordial relations with Ghana, but indications recently has indicated that Nigeria’s stance is being taken for granted and its citizens being made targets of harassment and object of ridicule which will no longer be tolerated under any guise.
The Federal Government has, however, appealed to its citizens living in Ghana to remain law abiding and avoid engaging in self-help despite their ordeal.
