Reports of a growing diplomatic impasse between Ghana and Nigeria over the former’s decision to evict the Nigeria High Commissioner from his Accra residence has been denied by the latter.
Nigeria High Commissioner, Olufemi Michael Abikoye, was reported to have been kicked out of his residence located at No.10 Barnes Road in Accra.
Media reports referenced an alleged statement by Mr Abikoye, dated December 31 2019, in which he is reported as saying that a Ghanaian company, Amaco Microfinance Company Limited, had instructed the High Commission “to vacate its diplomatic property at No.10 Barnes Road, Accra.”
The residence is said to have been reallocated to Amaco Microfinance since August 26, 2019, by Ghana’s Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources with the consent of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.
Mr Abikoye is also alleged to have said that the reallocation of the property was done ”without recourse to the [Nigerian] High Commission.”
Nigerian-based online portal, Legit.ng, reports that a Spokesperson for the Nigerian Foreign Affairs Ministry, Ferdinand Nownye, has denied the reports that Ghana forcefully kicked out the High Commissioner.
“We are working on it; there is no cause for alarm. It is not our chancery, not our residence, it is just one of our official quarters and has been unoccupied for some time. Though we have some items inside it, no one is occupying it,” Legit.ng quoted Mr Nwonye as saying.
The Spokesperson explained that the property had a lease agreement signed between the Nigerian Ministry of Finance and Ghana, which expired in August 2019.
