Restore our Embassy – Bulgaria to Ghana

The Bulgarian government is demanding the government of Ghana restore its Embassy in Accra after it was demolished by a private developer who has been identified as President Akufo-Addo’s appointee on the National Development Planning Commission (NDCP) Board, Dr Yaw Adu-Ampomah.

Dr Adu-Ampomah allegedly entered the property illegally with heavy equipment in August 2021 and demolished it.

The Bulgarian government’s request comes on the back of a “stop work” order from the Lands Commission which the developer flouted, thereby prompting a Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Benito Owusu-Bio to direct Dr Adu-Ampomah to, as a matter of urgency, halt all building activities on the parcel of land leased to the Bulgarian Embassy when he visited the site on Wednesday, 16 March 2022.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kweku Ampratwum-Sarpong, also at a press conference on the same day, said the private developer has no backing of the government to continue building and must stop work with immediate effect.

Reacting to this development, the Bulgarian Ambassador to Ghana and Nigeria, Mr Yanko Yordanov, said the move by the developer is unacceptable.

Speaking to Valentina Ofori-Afriyie on 12 Live on Class91.3FM on Thursday, 17 March 2022, Mr Yordanov said, “We are a bit disappointed that this situation continues after more than five years”, adding: “We want Bulgaria granted access to its own property that has been recognised as Bulgaria’s by Ghana’s own Supreme Court.”

He said the message he wants to pass is: “We [Bulgaria] don’t accept this situation, it is really unacceptable, and, at the same time while we continue insisting on Ghanaian authorities to do their part, we are also hopeful that very soon, a decision will be made and a settlement will be done so Bulgaria and Ghana will focus on our very much positive agenda in terms of cooperation and trade, education and all the areas of common interest.”