Mr Geoffrey Onyeama
Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama
The Nigerian High Commission has not been evicted from its diplomatic property in Ghana, Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday.
Mr Ferdinand Nwonye, Spokesperson of the ministry who made this known in a statement in Abuja, also said that there was no diplomatic row between Nigeria and Ghana.
Nwonye explained that the building was not occupied by the High Commissioner, Chancery or staffs of the High Commission but only housed some properties of the mission.
He stressed that there was also no diplomatic row between Nigeria and Ghana as speculated in media reports.
“The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn to news circulating in the social media that its property on No. 10 Barnes Road, Accra, Ghana has been violated by the host authorities.
“And that there is a diplomatic row between Nigeria and the Republic of Ghana. The Ministry wishes to state categorically that the news reports are untrue”.
“The ministry wishes to clarify that the said property under reference was in use by the Federal Ministry of Finance, since 1957, on leasehold and was later bequeathed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs”.
“The lease is said to have expired recently and the High Commission has been exploring the possibility of renewing the lease agreement with the host authorities.
“It should be noted that the building is not physically occupied but the Mission has some of its properties within the premises. It should further be reiterated that the property is not housing either the Residence of the High Commissioner or the Chancery or staff quarters”.
“However, talks are still ongoing between the Mission and appropriate host authorities. There is therefore no imminent diplomatic row with Ghana as being speculated by a section of the media,’’ Nwonye said.
He assured Nigerians that the ministry was on top of the situation. (NAN)
