Foreign Affairs Ministry has dismissed news reports that its High Commission in Accra, Ghana has been evicted from its properties by the host authorities.
An online news reports had said that the High Commission has been asked to vacate its diplomatic property at No.10 Barnes Road, Accra after failing to renew the lease. The development, the report said, triggered a diplomatic row between both countries.
But the foreign ministry, in a statement by its spokesperson, Ferdinand Nwonye, described the reports as untrue, saying there was no imminent diplomatic row.
The statement said, “The Ministry wishes to clarify that the said property under reference was in use by the Federal Ministry of Finance, since 1957, on leasehold and was later bequeathed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The lease is said to have expired recently and the High Commission has been exploring the possibility of renewing the lease agreement with the host authorities. It should be noted that the building is not physically occupied but the Mission has some of its properties within the premises.
“It should further be reiterated that the property is not housing either the Residence of the High Commissioner or the Chancery or staff quarters.
“However, talks are still on-going between the Mission and appropriate host authorities. There is therefore no imminent diplomatic row with Ghana as being speculated by a section of the media. We wish to assure all and sundry that the Ministry is on top of the situation.”
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