Nigeria Protests Relocation of Unesco's Cultural Desk to Ghana

The relocation of the office of the United Nation's Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) from Nigeria to Ghana may have sparked a row between the two countries with Nigeria expressing fears that the development may strain relations between the two countries.

Speaking while receiving the Ghanaian Minister of Tourism in her office, the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Ms Bromillow Jack said her ministry was dismayed at the development which she said was capable of straining relations between the two countries.

But in her argument, Hon. Hawa Yakubu, Ghana's Minister of Tourism maintained that Nigeria lost the cultural desk as a result of long years of military rule, noting that the budget for the said office was prepared 15 years ago by UNESCO.

"My ministry will not tolerate UNESCO'S plans to remove the desk from Nigeria to Ghana. It is going to strain our relationship with Ghana because if you want to know something about Nigeria, you will now have to go to a Ghana desk, it is not acceptable" said Jack.

Yakubu, in her submission maintained that from her knowledge of the issue, the development arose owing to more than a decade of military rule. She cited the instance of the location of the ECOWAS parliament in Nigeria, which was originally scheduled to be cited in Mali but was taken in good faith by Mali in the interest of peace and progress of the sub-region.

"Nigeria lost out due to long years of military rule. Certain hard decisions were taken to your disadvantage. The UNESCO budget was prepared 15 years ago before you and I came to office and even at that I believe Nigeria will help Ghana to grow", she said.