It's 'a little too late' for Foreign Ministry to act in IGP-UK High Commissioner 'row' – Prof. Aning

Professor Emmanuel Kwesi Aning, the Director of the Faculty of Academic Affairs and Research at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping and Training Centre (KAIPTC), has indicated that the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s intervention in the issue between the Inspector-General of Police and British High Commissioner was “a little too late, a little too small.”

Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express, he said, the Ministry failed to be proactive in preventing the situation from escalating by not addressing the British High Commissioner’s tweet after she posted on May 17 but decided to do so after the said tweet had attracted a four-page strong-worded reply from the IGP.

“The maturity that Vladimir is talking about is maturity a little too late, a little too small, and I agree with him that for the Foreign Ministry, that is their business to dampen things. But you see, they ought to have acted quickly when the High Commissioner started behaving in ways that probably is not part of good diplomatic practices," Prof Aning said.

He noted that, this would not be the first time the Ministry had failed to act timeously to issues involving foreign diplomats meddling in Ghanaian issues.

“If you remember the US Embassy statement a couple of months ago, a security threat or a security alert about potential terrorist invasion in the North claiming that although they’ve issued the alert, the basis for the alert was unsubstantiated information.

“Now why the hell do you put out information when the evidence upon which you’re basing the alert is not substantiated? And therein lies the weakness of the Foreign Ministry that they ought even to have responded to that. And now because they did not then others think this is some free hunting ground and then we can behave any way that suits us.

“For me, I think it’s good the Foreign Ministry has spoken, next time they should be more proactive but certainly the IGP has done what he ought to do in protecting the image of his institution, the way they deliver their services to the people of Ghana; we will be critical of them as to how they do it, but we are the taxpayers and we do that,” Prof Kwesi Aning submitted.

He added the British High Commissioner's conduct had been reciprocated by the Ghanaian High Commissioner to the UK, the response of the British people would not have been charitable, as has been the case in Ghana.

“Now we’re going to look at the counter-factual, how would the British people behave were we to play the same script in the UK and our High Commissioner responding to certain issues relating to the disproportionate number of black lives lost during Covid as a result of racism, about black lives matter demonstrators and the way they’ve been treated, about racism in British policing and all that.

“I don’t think they will take it kindly. So it’s good the Ministry seeks to dampen the tension but it should be more proactive, but the IGP has done the Republic of Ghana a great service,” he stressed.

Prof Kwesi Aning then cautioned members in the Minority who have chided the IGP for his response to British High Commissioner.

“Unfortunately, some of our political players think they can use this for short term political gains. Indeed in all situations, it is the interest of the Republic of Ghana that must drive the way that we behave.

“If you’re not in power today but a foreign potentate misbehaves don’t just support that potentate because you think that misbehaviour undermines those who are governing now. Because when you come into power one day they will treat you either the same way or in a much worse manner,” he advised.