Ghanaian government 'evicts' Nigerian High Commission in Accra

The Nigerian High Commission in Ghana has been forcefully evicted from its diplomatic property by the country's government. 

In a statement released by the Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana Michael Olufemi Abikoye on December 31, 2019, it was gathered that the property located at No.10 Barnes Road, Accra was reallocated to Amaco Microfinance since 26 August, 2019 by Ghana’s Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources with the consent of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.

While Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed that the Nigerian Government failed to renew the property following expiration, Abikoye said the reallocation came after continuous violation of the diplomatic property. 

The Nigerian High Commissioner said; 

"A terse letter dated 27th December, 2019, was received from Solicitors acting on behalf of Amaco Microfinance Company Limited, Accra, giving instructions for the High Commission to vacate its diplomatic property at No.10 Barnes Road, Accra.

“The letter further stressed that; failure to comply within stipulated time will lead to depositing the Mission’s belongings at the nearest Accra police station.

"As at 31st December, 2019, the property has been broken into by the company and is being ransacked with the likelihood of being effectively occupied.

"The reallocation was done without recourse to the High Commission despite having requested severally for “a mutual resolution of the matter, affirming that Nigerian Government is examining the situation and that an appropriate directive was being awaited.”

However reacting to the development, the Federal Government insisted that the High Commission of Nigeria in Ghana was neither evicted from its chancery nor its residence.

According to the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ferdinand Nwonye, the lease agreement which was signed between the Nigerian Ministry of Finance and the Ghanaian ministry long time ago expired in August, 2019.

He said;

“But we are working on it and there is no cause for alarm.

“It is not our chancery; it is 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, but no one is occupying it"