Renowned statesman and business leader, Sir Dr. Sam Jonah, has formally appealed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, seeking diplomatic intervention over what he describes as an unlawful effort to dispossess him of his investment in a major real estate development in Nigeria.
In an extensive petition addressed to the Foreign Minister, Sir Sam stated that his request for government intervention is grounded in the need to safeguard the interests of Ghanaian citizens and Ghanaian-led investments operating abroad, particularly within the ECOWAS sub-region.
The petition centres on a long-running dispute involving the River Park Estate, a large-scale housing project located in Abuja, Nigeria’s federal capital territory. According to Sir Sam, the project was initiated in 2007 by himself and other investors and has since become the subject of intense legal and administrative contention.
Beyond the appeal to Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, Sir Sam disclosed that he has also filed petitions with several key Nigerian institutions. These include the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Nigeria’s principal anti-corruption body; the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, headed by Dr. Jumoke Oduwole; and Muktar Tolani Shagaya, a member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives.
Sir Sam alleged that his difficulties stem from a coordinated and unlawful attempt to wrest control of his interests in the River Park Estate. He claimed that the effort was orchestrated by an agent acting on behalf of the directors of the company managing the project, with the alleged backing of certain officials within the Nigerian Police Service and segments of the public administration.
He further accused the Registrar-General of Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) of unlawfully diluting and expropriating his shareholding in JonahCapital Nigeria Limited, the investment vehicle behind the housing project. According to the petition, these actions were carried out in clear defiance of existing orders issued by the Federal High Court of Nigeria, making the conduct both illegal and contemptuous of judicial authority.
As part of his appeal, Sir Sam is requesting that Ghana’s Foreign Minister engage directly with the Attorney-General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to fast-track the review of police reports connected to the matter. He also wants the Attorney-General to instruct the police to refrain from any further actions that could prejudice the outcome of ongoing court proceedings.
Additionally, Sir Sam is urging the Foreign Affairs Minister to formally demand the immediate reversal of what he describes as unlawful corporate alterations, warning that failure to do so could result in the dissipation of assets before the courts reach a final determination.
He has also called on the Minister to bring the matter to the attention of ECOWAS, citing what he considers a violation of regional investment protection frameworks. According to him, the dispute raises serious concerns about the safety of cross-border investments within the West African bloc.
Furthermore, Sir Sam wants Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Ministry to engage the Government of Nigeria, particularly through the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, whose portfolio includes oversight responsibility for the Corporate Affairs Commission.
Providing historical context in his petition, Sir Sam explained that JonahCapital Nigeria Limited was incorporated on October 13, 2006, with himself holding 40 per cent of the company’s shares, while two other partners each held 30 per cent. The firm was established to undertake mass housing developments across Nigeria.
He stated that in 2007, JonahCapital Nigeria invited a United States-based investor, Houses for Africa Holdings Inc., a Delaware-registered company, to participate in the venture. This partnership led to the incorporation of Houses for Africa Nigeria Limited on February 7, 2008, as a locally registered Nigerian company.
Under the new structure, Houses for Africa Holdings Inc., Delaware, became the majority shareholder in the new entity, controlling 80 per cent of the issued shares. Sir Sam maintained that the arrangement was entered into lawfully and transparently, forming the foundation of the River Park Estate development.
He contends, however, that recent actions by corporate and state actors in Nigeria threaten to undermine both the legality of the investment and the protections guaranteed under Nigerian law and regional agreements, prompting his appeal for diplomatic and institutional intervention.
