The National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, has given the Ghanaian government a 72-hour ultimatum to arrest and prosecute perpetrators of Nigerian High Commission building demolition.
DAILY NIGERIAN recalls that some unidentified persons had bulldozed the building, threatening to shoot the Nigerian High Commissioner and other members of the Nigerian Missions in Ghana.
Reacting to the development, the NYCN, in a statement signed by its President and Secretary, Solomon Adodo and Suleiman Musa respectively, said should the Ghanaian authority fail to do the needful, it would occupy the country’s premises in Nigeria.
According to the group, the ultimatum was given in order to protect Nigerian properties and businesses in the country.
“We hereby formally demand the immediate arrest and prosecution of the said perpetrator, his cohorts and other accomplices in the security architecture, and cogent steps taken to protect Nigerian properties, businesses and lives in Ghana, within 72-hours effective from day of receipt of this Letter.
“It should be further noted that anything to the contrary will be seen as a crafty ploy for cover up and for which we shall occupy the premises of the Ghanaian High Commission on expiration of our notice,” the statement noted.
The group also recalled prior attacks on Nigerian businesses by Ghanaians, regretting that no actions were taken to forestall further occurrences.
According to the group, such acts were a flagrant breach of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961.
The group said: “In November 2019, over 70 shops owned by only Nigerians were shut by non-state Agents acting with unbridled impunity.
“These organized group of Traders staged various smear campaigns against Nigeria and Nigerian products, calling on Ghana citizens to boycott Nigerian goods and services, yet security agencies in the country tolerated same and nothing was done to correct the ill till date.”
While acknowledging the condemnation and accompanying apology of the act to the Nigerian Government from the Ghanaian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the group insisted that apologies were not enough.
It also lamented that while the act was done with eyewitnesses and a commander for the operation, with state security escort, the perpetrators should not be described as unidentified.
It, therefore, called on the President Nana Akufo-Addo-led administration to save the Nigeria-Ghana relationship, which according to the group, is beyond regional integration or diplomatic relations.
The group also reminded Mr Akufo-Addo of the need to build a sound diplomatic reputation by wooing economic incentives to the country with the Headquarters of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area – AfCFTA, in Ghana.
“Ghana must not sacrifice this sterling reputation on the altar of covering up an ‘arrogant sacred cow’,” the NYCN said.
