Seasoned journalist, Kweku Baako Jnr. has reprimanded the orchestrators behind the demolition of a building at the residence of the Nigerian High Commissioner in Accra.
Some armed men stormed the premises of the Nigerian High Commission and demolished a building near completion.
Head of security at the High Commission, Emmanuel Kabutey noted that the leader of the team that demolished the building told them they were acting under the behest of the National Security and that “if any of us try, he will clear us off''.
Nii Okwei Kinka Dowuona VI, the Paramount Chief of the Osu Traditional Area, has stated the Nigerian High Commission has trespassed on a parcel of land belonging to the Osu Stool.
In a press release, he stated the land in question is not a state land, therefore, “it is only the Stool that has the mandate to grant lease be it expired or otherwise".
However, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has arrested two persons in connection with the demolition.
“The Criminal Investigations Department in the course of investigation on Monday, 22nd June, 2020, arrested two persons involved in the demolition of a building on the premises of the Nigerian High Commission in Accra.”
Addressing the issue, Kweku Baako says the perpetrators should be prosecuted and be charged to rebuild the demolished structure.
Kweku Baako released some documents revealing that the Lands Commission allocated the portion of land to the Nigerian High Commission in 2000 and 18 years later, the Commission also released the land to GLICO; hence stressing there is confusion over the land ownership, nonetheless it was not in the hands of the Osu Traditional Area to demolish the structure.
To him, their action has subjected the image of the country to international ridicule.
Meanwhile, President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has apologized to the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari over the incident.
"It's an embarrassment to the country and to government. No wonder, the President has apologized . . . and the Minister of Foreign Affairs also went to the embassy and apologized. It's unwarranted, needless. It's subjected our international image to a certain level of ridicule . . . They must be apprehended and arraigned before court. Afterwards, they must be billed and do reconstruction at their own expense," Kweku Baako said on ''Kokrokoo'' on Peace FM.
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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Did you read my message at all? Have you listened to what Osu traditional council said? They had a few court orders asking the Nigerians to stop work but they blatantly and scornfully refused thinking they can bully their way through because just like the way you Ayanya think, they are the government of Nigerian. Yes Ghana is not a monarchy but constitutionally, traditional authorities are the custodians of stool lands, do you ayanya know this? The traditional council has a vested constitutional power to control their lands through the lands commission. Stop this holier than thou hypocrisy! Nsemfuu!
Yaw and why Ghana has a government the country is not being controlled by monarchy so if anything the traditional council should have gone to court the right place to get justice. It was wrong for them to act that way when it was a government and government affairs not individuals or group of people . The embassy represent the government of Nigeria and the best place was court not bugabuga ! Its a shame ! Its like there is no law in Ghana so everyone does his/her own thing ! Its a disgrace to Ghana ! We can't live in a country where there are no laws and anybody just gets up early in the morning to destroy somebody's property with no court order ! It was wrong and shameful !
Our laws must work. It's completely unnecessary to reconstruct it by the government. The Nigerians totally ignored lands commission's requests for documentation to complete the tittle for them, so lands commission through the Osu traditional council thought the Nigerians had no interest in the land anymore and so went ahead to sell and procure a land tittle to another party only for the Nigerians to hurriedly build on the land even after several orders for them to stop. They should remember they don't have the tittle to the land and even have no building permit for that structure, they only have a letter and receipts for some payments, that's not how to own a piece of land in this country. Malice! Why should the government reconstruct a building that has no permit? Our laws must be respected aaba.
Mr. Baako, I think that the laws of the land should be made to work. Why are we championing illegality on the wings of bilateral relationship with our Nigerian friends. I am yet to see the permit they secured to erect that structure. They should remember that the land does not belong to the government of Ghana but rather the Osu stool. How could they have disregarded several flags to stop them from erecting that structure. If they want to have space for their staff they certainly know what to do to get that space for their staff. This is complete disrespect for the regent of the land and the owners of the parcel of land. If we do not set matters straight I am afraid there will come a time we would loose our own citizenship on the land we call our own.