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“Nigerian criminals will be
flushed out of Ghana” – High Commissioner
Accra, July 24, GNA - The Nigerian High Commissioner to
Ghana, Mr. Musiliu O. Obanikoro, on Thursday said the High
Commission was ready to collaborate with security agencies
to flush out Nigerians who would fall foul of the laws of
Ghana.
“We cannot allow the negative activities of the few people
to tarnish the image of Nigeria,” he told Mrs Oboshie
Sai-Coffie, Minister of Tourism and Diasporan Affairs during
a courtesy call on her in Accra.
Mr Obanikoro said activities of a few Nigerians were a
matter of concern which called for a stronger corporation
with authorities in Ghana to bring them to book.
He said Ghana and Nigeria needed to work closely to move the
integration of the sub-region forward, especially in the
area of economic cooperation.
He indicated Nigeria’s readiness to partner Ghana in the
area of tourism, particularly in organising Panafest, a
pan-African festival organised in Ghana to showcase African
culture and traditions to the rest of the world.
On Ghana’s oil, Mr. Obanikoro advised government to learn
from the Niger Delta experience in Nigeria to forestall any
mistake in sharing the proceeds that may accrue from the
industry.
“You all know the embarrassment that the Niger Delta has
caused Nigeria. I suggest Ghana set up a committee to study
the experience to enable her to do things right in her
case.”
Mr Obanikoro announced that a business summit, which would
usher in the Ghana-Nigeria Chamber of Commerce, would be
hosted in Ghana to entrench the relationship between the two
countries.
Mrs Sai-Coffie, on her part assured the High Commissioner
that government was really taking time to make the necessary
consultations and arrangements to ensure that oil revenue
was shared nationally and to benefit generations to come.
On Panafest, the Minister said plans were being made to
regularise its celebration to be observed annually instead
of biennially.
She announced that a joint Diasporan relationship, dubbed
multi-destination package that would allow people in the
Diaspora to visit both cities in Ghana and Nigeria should be
supported by all, particularly Nigeria.
In a related development, the Indian High Commissioner,
Madam Ruchi Ghanashyam also paid a courtesy call on the
Tourism Minister and commended Ghana for the strides she was
making in the sub-region.
“Ghana has beautiful people and nice and well located
hotels,” Madam Ghanashyam noted.
She said India would continue to collaborate with Ghana in
developing her human resource through the offering of
scholarships to Ghanaians to be trained in India.
Mrs Sai-Coffie gave the assurance that Ghana would do
everything possible to make Ghana an attractive destination
for all, especially by curbing crime.
“As at last month, figures for criminal activities have
dropped so well, and within the next 30 to 60 days we expect
it to decrease further”, the Minister added.
GNA
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