Ghana Boundary Commission Bill passed
By Jeorge Wilson KINGSON
Parliament last week passed a bill that will make it possible for the establishment of a Ghana Boundary Commission, BusinessWeek has gathered.
The commission, when established, will negotiate to determine and demarcate the country’s land boundaries and delimit its maritime boundaries.
The bill which was passed under a certificate of emergency will ensure the proper development of a team of experts to engage and provide continuity in negotiation processes concerning land boundary demarcation and maritime boundary delimitations.
This follows the recent threat to Ghana’s oil find by Cote d’Ivoire, which claims that a portion of the Dzata field area in Cape Three Points in the Western Region treads into that country.
Currently, there is no commission in Ghana that deals with issues relating to maritime boundary demarcation, even though the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) which Ghana is a signatory to requires countries to delimit their maritime boundaries.
According to the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Collins Dauda, government recognizes that to protect the country’s interest as regards the establishment of land and maritime boundaries with her neighbours there must be a body with the powers of a commission to negotiate land and maritime boundaries.
“The delimitation of Ghana’s maritime boundaries involves fundamental issues of national and regional security. Under-limited maritime boundaries place Ghana’s offshore natural resources at risk of aggression claims from neighbouring countries,” he told parliament.
Adding that there is the need to create a stable environment for the operation of oil investors in boundary areas in view of the huge cost and risks involved in the oil industry, he said it is highly expected that the establishment of a Ghana Boundary Commission will forestall possible conflicts between Ghana and its neighbouring countries.
Historically, several ad-hoc boundary commissions had been set up under the Border Demarcation Commission Act, of 1968, to negotiate Ghana’s land boundaries with her neighbours, but none of these commissions ever completed their work.
A commission has never been set up to delimit Ghana’s maritime boundaries with neighbouring countries in the Gulf of Guinea.
By Jeorge Wilson KINGSON
Parliament last week passed a bill that will make it possible for the establishment of a Ghana Boundary Commission, BusinessWeek has gathered.
The commission, when established, will negotiate to determine and demarcate the country’s land boundaries and delimit its maritime boundaries.
The bill which was passed under a certificate of emergency will ensure the proper development of a team of experts to engage and provide continuity in negotiation processes concerning land boundary demarcation and maritime boundary delimitations.
This follows the recent threat to Ghana’s oil find by Cote d’Ivoire, which claims that a portion of the Dzata field area in Cape Three Points in the Western Region treads into that country.
Currently, there is no commission in Ghana that deals with issues relating to maritime boundary demarcation, even though the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) which Ghana is a signatory to requires countries to delimit their maritime boundaries.
According to the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Collins Dauda, government recognizes that to protect the country’s interest as regards the establishment of land and maritime boundaries with her neighbours there must be a body with the powers of a commission to negotiate land and maritime boundaries.
“The delimitation of Ghana’s maritime boundaries involves fundamental issues of national and regional security. Under-limited maritime boundaries place Ghana’s offshore natural resources at risk of aggression claims from neighbouring countries,” he told parliament.
Adding that there is the need to create a stable environment for the operation of oil investors in boundary areas in view of the huge cost and risks involved in the oil industry, he said it is highly expected that the establishment of a Ghana Boundary Commission will forestall possible conflicts between Ghana and its neighbouring countries.
Historically, several ad-hoc boundary commissions had been set up under the Border Demarcation Commission Act, of 1968, to negotiate Ghana’s land boundaries with her neighbours, but none of these commissions ever completed their work.
A commission has never been set up to delimit Ghana’s maritime boundaries with neighbouring countries in the Gulf of Guinea.
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