Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has appealed for calm following growing concerns over viral videos depicting protests in Ghana demanding the expulsion of Nigerians.
Addressing a joint press conference in Accra on Wednesday alongside her Ghanaian counterpart, Hon. Samuel Ablakwa, Odumegwu-Ojukwu assured Nigerians that there was no cause for alarm. She emphasized that the situation on the ground was stable and peaceful, contrary to the tensions stirred by the online footage.
“We are here on a fact-finding mission, as special envoy of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in response to the viral disturbances,” she said. “Since our arrival, we’ve seen no signs of unrest. There are no tyre burnings, no placards. The Ghanaian government has responded proactively.”
The minister thanked Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama for the warm reception and stressed the need to maintain the historic ties between the two nations. She cautioned against the dangerous impact of inflammatory rhetoric and misleading content on social media, which she said could trigger unnecessary panic and division.
She also confirmed that her delegation had met with local leaders and stakeholders to de-escalate tensions and explore ways to strengthen bilateral relations through frameworks like the Nigeria-Ghana Joint Commission.
Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Ablakwa, echoed similar sentiments, assuring that the Ghanaian government remains committed to the safety and rights of all residents, including Nigerians.
“We are protecting everyone in Ghana — citizens and foreigners alike,” Ablakwa stated. He added that while law and order must be respected, recent tensions should be managed carefully to avoid a repeat of past incidents such as the 1983 “Ghana Must Go” episode or Ghana’s Aliens Repatriation Order.
Ablakwa also clarified that viral claims of territorial ambitions by a Nigerian in Ghana were unfounded and had been addressed in consultation with the concerned parties.
The Nigerian delegation included senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, such as Ambassador Regina Ocheni, Ambassador Innocent Iwejuo, and Mr. Ajuluchukwu Eze.
