Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, has called for calm in response to recent protests in Ghana, where some citizens are demanding the deportation of Nigerians residing in the country.
Gatekeepers News reports that the past weekend, a group of Ghanaians, primarily traders from the local retail market, organized a protest expressing concerns about the presence of Nigerians in Ghana. They carried placards and voiced their belief that the behavior of some Nigerians does not align with Ghanaian values, alleging that these individuals have been involved in criminal activities and are causing issues within the community.
In light of the viral videos circulating on social media that have heightened tensions, Odumegwu-Ojukwu addressed the situation during a joint press briefing in Ghana on Wednesday. She stated that her visit aimed to assess the situation firsthand and address the rising anxiety among the public.
“Since I arrived, I haven’t seen people burning tyres in the streets or carrying placards everywhere calling for Nigerians to be deported,” she said.
“This shows that the Ghanaian government and the president have stepped up to the situation — I would say there’s no cause for alarm, they are handling the situation effectively, and we will continue engaging stakeholders.”
Odumegwu-Ojukwu also explained that they had met with some of the leaders and individuals involved in a bid to de-escalate tensions.
Samuel Ablakwa, Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, said the ministry is addressing the matter and has met with some leaders of the Nigerian community.
“The Ghanaian government will ensure that everyone in the country — citizens and non-citizens — is protected,” he said.
He added that while the country will protect everyone, people also need to be “law-abiding and avoid criminal activities and actions that could divide us”.
