Ghana go reconstruct Nigeria High Commission building 'as soon as possible'
Wia dis foto come from, Dele Momodu/Fred Smith
Ghana foreign affairs minister say di kontri go reconstruct di building wey some pipo demolish inside di Nigerian High Commission compound for Accra.
According to report, armed men storm di compound last week and destroy di buildings under construction. Authorities don arrest two pipo over di incident.
Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey say di goment go restore di building to e original state as soon as possible.
She add say dem go issue di High Commission with a title deed for di land to regularize Nigeria ownership of di property in question.
Ms Botchwey say Ghana dey committed to ensuring di safety of members of di diplomatic corps.
She say di goment dey engage Nigeria to calm tension between di two countries.
Wia dis foto come from, Feme Adesina
Oda tins wey di statement tok
Dia investigation reveal say:
- Di High Commission land na part of vested land wey be di Osu Stool own and wey di Lands Commission dey manage.
- Nigeria present letter reference SCR/LCS 74/VOL.2/95 with date 7th August, 2000, granting allocation and right of entry to di High Commission, one 4-acre parcel of land for di Accra Osu Mantse Layout. Although di High Commission of Nigeria further present receipts of payments on di land, made by Bankers Draft payable to di Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission and everything dey genuine, Di land Commission no issue Land Title Certificate to di High Commission.
- Di Land Commission say record no dey for dia hand to reveal any previous transaction in respect to di land in question. Wen di Osu Stool ask di Commission to grant lease to one third party ontop di land in question, di Lands Commission ask di High Commission to provide documents of ownership but dem no receive any response.
- Based on the silence of di High Commission of Nigeria, di Lands Commission go ahead to issue Land Title Certificate of di same parcel of land to anoda third party.
- Unfortunately, bacause of di fact say di High Commission no obtain lease afta di allocation letter, or proceed to obtain Land Title Certificate or even building permit for di new property, search by di Lands Commission no show say ddem obtain any proper documentation in respect of di property.
- Articles 22 and 30 of di Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations say di premises of di Mission as well as di private residence of diplomatic agent go dey untouchable. So, di incident of Friday, 19th June, 2020 na breach of di Convention.
Ghana government decision
- Di Lands Commission go issue letter to di Osu Traditional Council say for August 2000, di High Commission of Nigeria receive formal offer in respect of di parcel of land in question; dem accept and pay and dis wan constitute contract.
- Di Lands Commission go proceed to issue Land Title Certificate to di High Commission of Nigeria to regularize dia ownership of di property in question;
- Di Government of Ghana go take immediate steps to engage di Osu Stool and all stakeholders ontop di mata.
- Following di arrest of some persons in connection to di breach of di premises of the High Commission of Nigeria, di Criminal Investigation Department go take sharp-sharp action on investigations, because of di nature of di matter and im potential ramifications on Ghana-Nigeria relations.
- Government of Ghana go ensure say di demolished building dey restored to im original state, as soon as possible;
- Di High Commission of Nigeria go take appropriate steps to obtain building permits for di construction;
- In view of di above, di Government of Ghana go actively engage di Nigerian Government at the highest level to address di issue and help calm tensions for both countries.
