President of the Republic of Ghana, John Mahama, has assured President Bola Tinubu of the Safety of lives and property of Nigerians living in his country, dismissing the possibility of xenophobia in Ghana.
The assurance was sequel to the viral video of some Ghanaian protesters demanding the deportation of Nigerians living in the West African neighbouring country over alleged criminal activities such as armed robbery, ritual killings and kidnapping.
This was contained in a statement on Friday by Dr. Magnus Eze, the media aide to Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu, who visited the Ghanaian leader in Accra as special envoy of President Tinubu.
According to the statement, President Mahatma reaffirmed commitment to ECOWAS protocols as he received Nigeria leader’s special envoy, especially pertaining to the free movement of persons and goods in the region.
Mahama told the delegation to convey to the Nigerian leader that he should not lose sleep over recent protests against Nigerian nationals resident in his country.
He maintained that Nigeria and Ghana are brothers with shared history, stressing that they would not allow anything to come between them.
President Mahama added that the recirculation of an old video made by a Nigerian residing in Ghana over 10 years ago actually generated tension but gladly announced that the situation was swiftly managed.
Earlier, Amb. Odumegwu-Ojukwu thanked the president for his hospitality since the delegation arrived Ghana, stressing that their mission was to douse the tension in Ghana following viral video against Nigerians.
She said that every Nigerian back home was apprehensive over the situation and concerned about the safety of Nigerian nationals in Ghana, their properties and and businesses.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu also said that the visit was to equally facilitate the establishment of a permanent Nigeria-Ghana Joint Commission.
She said that the joint commission would help in addressing the youth and issue of migration caused by huge demography of unemployed people under 45 years.
“We are encouraging our youth to stay in Nigeria and if it is necessary to migrate, they are to be great ambassadors,” Odumegwu-Ojukwu said.
The Minister informed the Ghanaian President that she was meeting with Nigerians in Ghana to urge them to adhere to the laws of Ghana.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu was accompanied on the fact-finding mission by the Director, Africa Affairs Department in the ministry, Amb. Regina Ocheni; Director, Office of the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Innocent Iwejuo, and Special Assistant (Administration) to the Minister of State, Mr. Ajuluchukwu Eze.
