The Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament has invited the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana, Micheal Olufemi Abikoye to clarify a statement on what they term as xenophobic attacks in the country.
Addressing the media on Tuesday, June 18, 2019, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament, Frank Annor Dompreh called on the public to be circumspect in their pronouncements about Nigerians in the country.
According to him, Ghana and Nigeria have an admirable relationship worth deepening for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
Mr. Annor Dompreh was of the view that certain recent media publications about crimes committed by Nigerians in the country have not been up to standard.
“Particularly, we are guided by what is guided in the past, if you look into history, so we are threading cautiously, but unfortunately recent pronouncements in the media is not the best and we as a committee that has oversight when it comes to over-arching concerns about Foreign relations.”
He also appealed to the public to be measured in their comments and desist from engaging in xenophobic tendencies.
Mr. Annor Dompreh also urged the police to go about their work without fear or favour.
“We want to appeal to the generality of the people of this country, the youth and the media. We should all be measured in our pronouncements, any arrest which has been effected by the Police, we will urge the police to do their work dispassionately.”
“We have sent a word to the Nigeria High Commissioner to Ghana. We will be meeting him, we feel that there is no course of worry, but generally we have to appeal to our own that we don’t want to dread any bad relationship between the two countries.”
Ambassador Micheal Olufemi Abikoye bemoaned ‘xenophobic tendencies’ in crime reportage
The Nigerian High Commissioner, earlier expressed frustration with the nature of reportage of crimes involving Nigerians adding that it exhibits some form of xenophobia.
In a statement he issued said “xenophobic tendencies” had the potential to mar Ghana-Nigeria relations.
He referenced reports involving Nigerians and criminal activity; including the recent kidnapping of two Canadians in Kumasi.
The involvement of Nigerians in high profile crimes in recent times is viewed as causing some resentment for Nigerians in Ghana.
“The Ghanaian Press, both print and electronic as well as social media seems to have enjoyed a field day in demonising Nigeria which for all intent and purposes, is seen as a fraternal brother to Ghana,” the statement notes.
The High Commissioner maintained that this line of reportage “has caused untold pains, agony as well as apprehension” to Nigerians in Ghana.
This has compelled it to “appeal to local traditional media and social media to be highly circumspect in such reportage.”
