The Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, has said that he will be embarking on a ‘legislative diplomacy’ visit to Ghana on Wednesday to resolve the issue of hostilities against Nigerians living in Ghana.
Gbajabiamila told journalists after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja, that the diplomatic move with his Ghanaian counterpart to find a solution to the problem was endorsed by President Buhari.
“I informed the President; he is aware of every single step that we are taking. We hope that we will come to an amicable settlement one way or the other,” the report by Channels Television quoted the Speaker as saying.
He explained that his mission to Ghana is to “discuss and see how the two countries can resolve whatever the issues are. It is not about making demands, it is diplomacy.”
This move comes four days after the Nigerian Government warned that it would no longer tolerate the maltreatment of its citizens in Ghana.
But reacting on August 30, Ghana’s Information Minister, Endkojo Oppong Nkrumah, faulted the claims made by the Nigerian government and stated that President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana would be engaging with President Muhammadu Buhari to resolve the matters amicably.
It will be recalled that Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, had earlier summoned Ghana’s Charge d Affaires to Nigeria, Ms. Iva Denoo, to deliberate on the closure of the shops owned by Nigerians in Ghana.
Onyeama had also met with representatives of the Nigerian Traders in Ghana, led by Jasper Emenike, the National President of Progressive Ambassadors of Nigeria (PAN) and the organisation’s National Director, Hon. Ruth Ango over the issue.
GIK/APA