Federal Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Bianca Ojukwu and Ghana’s Foreign Affairs minister, Samuel Ablakwa
By JOY ADARA, Abuja-
Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has called for calm in response to anxieties sparked by viral videos showing protests in Ghana allegedly demanding the deportation of Nigerians.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by Dr. Magnus Eze, Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, the minister addressed concerns following her fact-finding mission to Ghana, where she held a joint news briefing with Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Ablakwa, in Accra.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu reassured Nigerians that there is no need for panic, stating, “There’s no cause for alarm over the anti-Nigerian protests in Ghana.”
She explained that the videos, which caused widespread concern in Nigeria, prompted President Bola Tinubu to dispatch her to assess the situation firsthand.
“The government and people of Nigeria have been concerned with the widespread protests taking place in Ghana, requesting Nigerians to leave, dousing tensions in Nigeria regarding the safety of our nationals,” she noted. Upon arrival, she observed a stable environment, adding, “I haven’t seen people burning tyres in the streets or carrying placards calling for Nigerians to be deported. The Ghanaian government and President John Mahama have stepped up to the situation.”
The minister expressed gratitude for the warm reception by President Mahama and emphasized ongoing efforts to maintain peace, saying, “They are handling the situation effectively, and we will continue engaging stakeholders.”
She cautioned that inflammatory videos and rhetoric could harm the longstanding ties between Nigeria and Ghana, urging Nigerian residents in Ghana to carry on with their daily lives without fear, while remaining mindful of past tensions, such as the 1983 Aliens Repatriation Order in Ghana and the “Ghana Must Go” protests in Nigeria.
Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Ablakwa, reinforced this message, assuring the safety of all residents, including Nigerians. “The Ghanaian government will ensure that everyone in the country, citizens and non-citizens, is protected,” he stated, urging lawfulness to prevent actions that could strain bilateral relations. Ablakwa clarified that the viral videos did not reflect the true situation, noting that he met with a Nigerian accused of territorial ambitions in Ghana, who denied such intentions. He emphasized the shared heritage between the two nations, saying, “We have so many anthropological antecedents which show we are one person. Let us remember that Ghana is the headquarters of Pan Africanism.”
Both ministers highlighted the importance of strengthening ties through the Nigeria-Ghana Joint Commission to foster closer citizen-to-citizen relations and prevent future misunderstandings, ensuring the mutual respect and unity that have historically defined Nigeria-Ghana relations.
