Posted by From Lemmy Ughegbe, Abuja on
NIGERIA and Cameroun are expected to submit to the United Nations (UN) on July 12, 2006 a progress report on the planned transfer of the disputed oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula hitherto in Nigeria to Cameroun.
NIGERIA and Cameroun are expected to submit to the United Nations (UN) on July 12, 2006 a progress report on the planned transfer of the disputed oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula hitherto in Nigeria to Cameroun.
The report to be received by the UN Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan, will be prepared by the Nigeria-Cameroun Mixed Commission, a body set up by the two countries, their foreign allies and the UN to implement the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Netherlands, which gave the ownership of the Bakassi to Cameroun.
Already, the two countries and the UN have raised a 10-man follow-up committee to execute the recent agreement reached by President Olusegun Obasanjo and his Camerounian counterpart, Mr. Paul Biya on Nigeria's pull-out from Bakassi.
Nigeria is allotted two representatives in the committee. To meet its terms of reference and for earnest take off, the Federal Government at the weekend named the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN) and the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero as the country's representatives in the panel. The officials are to get input from the government's agencies and the two states affected by the dispute before presenting Nigeria's stance to the commission.
In a statement by the office of the Justice Minister at the weekend and made available to reporters in Abuja, the government explained that the committee was sequel to a decision reached between Obasanjo, Biya at a meeting with Annan in New York, U.S. on June 12, 2006.
The statement indicated that "membership of the committee include two officials of Cameroun, one representative each from United Kingdom, France, Germany and two representatives from the United Nations."
"The representatives of the Nigerian government are expected to meet with relevant stakeholders such as the governments of Akwa Ibom and Cross River states, Chairman of Bakassi Local Council, Customs, Immigration, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Chief of Defence Staff and the Nigeria Boundary Commission (NBC) on the most effective strategy to implement the withdrawal", the statement added.
Ojo and Ehindero will meet on June 30 in Abuja to make a preliminary assessment of the withdrawal plan, after which, they will consult with the governments of Akwa Ibom and Cross River states, the Bakassi Council chief and the security and defence agencies on July 3, 2006.
It disclosed that on July 5, the representatives would present a report to the Cameroun - Nigeria Mixed Commission on the status of the implementation of agreement, which would be followed up by a meeting of the follow-up committee on Nigeria's withdrawal from Bakassi.
At the end of the meeting, a report will be presented to Annan on or before July 12, this year.