Nigeria is almost next-door although Togo and Benin Republics stand between us and the West African oil giant.
In spite of the two countries blocking our view of that country from Ghana, there is no doubt that Nigeria is more a neighbor than the Francophone neighbours. We were colonial stable mates and at a certain point in the history of colonialism the Governor in Lagos ruled the Gold Coast until that arrangement was aborted later.
Today the giant of West Africa is troubled as a protest against the excessiveness of a notorious police unit called Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) has metamorphosed into a civil unrest. The government has acceded by disbanding SARS but the protesters are still on the streets. As a result, the military has been deployed to restore normalcy in the federation. Fatalities have been recorded and the sub-region, especially Ghana, must show concern with a lot of finesse.
When Nigeria is troubled the rest of West Africa catches cold. That is why we must as a matter of urgency pray for a cessation of hostilities.
The troubles in Nigeria should not be brushed aside because the events in that country are significant, their impact on our economy and social life palpable.
When matters get to a head in that country as they are beginning to be, there will certainly be an influx of persons from that end seeking sanctuary in Ghana. Since we are signatories to the relevant UN Convention on persons fleeing conflict zones it behooves us to open our doors to them.
We can only pray for peace to be restored in Nigeria. We must be mindful of the limitations of our involvement in the Nigerian melee lest the authorities misconstrue our gesture as breaching the non-involvement in the international affairs of a sovereign country.
As the troubles fester we have noticed the local politicization of the issue in Ghana.
Some political actors, perhaps out of ignorance, mischief or even both, are demanding an intervention from President Akufo-Addo.
President Akufo-Addo, an experienced diplomat understands what international politics entails and would not react to issues bordering on the internal affairs of sovereign countries. The behind-the-scene efforts of the President would only make it to the pages of the media when the time is due.
Of course as current Chairman of ECOWAS, the regional economic bloc, President Akufo-Addo has a duty to ensure that no member country suffers from avoidable restiveness as being witnessed in Nigeria.
The President knows when to issue a statement that will not breach international norms or even convene an emergency meeting on Nigeria as he did when Mali was at the corner.
We on the fringes of diplomacy, not bound by the intricacies of diplomacy, will ask the federal authorities to deal with the situation without employing lethal force.
Jaw-jawing with the demonstrators towards restoring normalcy will not take away much from the authority of the federal government.
Shooting to kill will not mend the damaged relationship between the people and Abuja; it only exacerbates it. The economic impact of the restiveness will soon be seen in the diminished volume of intra-sub-regional trade, adding to the one inflicted by Covid-19.
Let peace return to Nigeria.