Thirteen years after oil and natural gas-rich Bakassi Peninsula was
ceded to the Republic of Cameroon, the United Nations (UN)-backed
Greentree Agreement, which both countries signed on June 12, 2006, to
formalise the exercise has neither been ratified nor implemented.
The development, which has left returnees and those who chose to stay
back in Cameroon disconsolate, is also in clear violation of Section 12
of the 1999 Constitution, which spells out how treaties could be
ratified and given the force of law.
The failure to ensure that the agreement is given the force of law,
has had dire implications on the Cross River state’s economy, created a
protracted humanitarian crisis by compromising the wellbeing of the
returnees, as well as failed to bring the matter to a logical
conclusion.
The Greentree Agreement was the formal treaty, which resolved the
Cameroon-Nigeria border dispute that had roots in armed clashes between
both countries in Bakassi dating back to 1913, 1981, 1994, and 1996.
The dispute, which was referred to the International Court of
Justice, was on October 10, 2002, resolved in favour of Cameroon. And on
June 12, 2006, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Paul
Biya signed the agreement, concerning the withdrawal of troops and the
transfer of authority in the Peninsula.
The withdrawal of Nigerian troops was set for 60 days, and room made
for a possible 30-day extension, while Nigeria was allowed to keep its
civil administration and police in Bakassi for another two years.
A follow-up committee, comprising representatives from Nigeria,
Cameroon, Germany, United Kingdom, United States, France, and the United
Nations, was set up to monitor the implementation of the agreement.
Eleven years after the signing of the agreement, precisely on July
27, 2017, the National Assembly, in the wake of an alleged attack and
killing of 97 Nigerians over failure to pay a discriminatory boat levy
of N100, 000, resolved to investigate the killings, and also directed
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to urgently submit the 2006 agreement
for ratification.
While deploring the executive’s failure to ensure that the agreement,
which includes an outline of Cameroon’s commitment towards Nigerians
who decided to remain in the Peninsula, was adhered to, the Senate
called on the Federal Government to come up with a clear policy on the
protection of indigenes of Bakassi in the Diaspora, including those
residing in Cameroon.
It also urged the Cameroonian government to comply with the terms of the agreement.
According to the Special Adviser on Media/Chief Press Secretary to
Governor Ben Ayade, Mr. Christian Ita, “the Greentree Agreement has been
observed more in breach. Indeed, we don’t know any part of that
agreement regarding the welfare of the affected people and the state
that has been upheld or carried out. It is a very sad commentary.”
He said the state government has been saddled with the task of
continually sending food and medicals to the returnees. “But we can’t do
it alone as we have constraints with funds. More so, the state is also
grappling with refugees from Southern Cameroon, who fled the Ambazonian
clashes. There are approximately 50, 000 of them in the state. Cross
River state needs help,” he added.
On the mouthwatering N3tr suit against the Federal Government, for
the loss of the peninsula, which the state government said it was
instituted two years ago, Ita said, “we are still getting the counsel of
our lawyers, looking at the possibility of a non-sovereign state
bringing an action at the International Court of Justice. However, we
remain firm in our conviction that the ceding of the Bakassi Peninsula
was illegal. Section 12 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria (as amended) clearly spells out how treaties can be ratified
and given the force of law. What was done with Bakassi contravened not
only the provisions of section 12 of the Constitution, but it was also
at variance with all known norms regulating issues of this nature.”
Asked why the returnees were still living as Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs) in schools despite all what the Obasanjo administration
promised them, he said: “I do not know why, but the reality is that the
displaced people of Bakassi are still in temporary accommodation, which
is a primary school in Akpabuyo Local Council. Their condition is dire,
with only the state reaching out to them at intervals. However, the Ben
Ayade-led administration has just completed the construction of social
housing for these displaced people. The housing estate will soon be
unveiled and commissioned.”
Ita added that the fact that the state belongs to the minority bloc
might have also contributed to the poor treatment meted to its people.
He said: “A number of reasons have been advanced for this treatment,
including the fact that maybe because we are a minority. We wish that
just a fraction of the help being extended to Boko Haram IDPs in the
Northeast, by both the Federal Government and international humanitarian
organisations, could be given to the Bakassi returnees. It is said that
while everything is being done to ameliorate the sufferings of IDPs in
the Northeast, the people of Bakassi appear to have been abandoned by
the rest of the world.”
As of 2017, the Federal Government claimed it had paid about N38b to
Cross River State as special allocation to the state (over a period of
11 years), as compensation for the loss of Bakassi, and by extension the
76 oil wells. But the CPS said: “I am not in a position to know how the
said money was expended since you’re talking about money that was
spread over 11 years. Suffice it to say that the Supreme Court had
directed the Federal Government to help cushion the effect of the loss
of the territory and the attendant loss of oil wells in the state. So,
the money was more like a stabilisation fund given the disruption it
caused to the economy of the state.
“I must emphasis here that it is even saddening that we are talking
about N38b paid over 11 years. When you do the mathematics, this money
amounts to nothing. This is what some states in the region get in a
month as revenue allocation from the Federal Government. Cross River
State is supposed to be compensated in perpetuity.
“As I mentioned earlier, the state government has just completed a
social housing project for them. The project has been completed, and the
commissioning will take place soon. Importantly also, the state
government is constructing a deep seaport in Bakassi. This project is
symbolic, as well as economic. Symbolic in the sense that by situating
the project in Bakassi, the state government is sending a message to the
people that, ‘the world may have abandoned you, Nigeria may have
forgotten you, but we are one with you.
“Economically, this project will create thousands of employment
opportunities for people. Indeed, in a recent interaction with the
media, the displaced persons were categorical that the realisation of
the project will wipe away their tears occasioned by years of neglect.
With a proposed depth of about 20 meters, and sitting on approximately
36, 000 hectares of land, the port will be the deepest and largest in
Africa. It will also be the first agro seaport in sub-Saharan Africa.
The economic spinoff for the locals, the state and Nigeria as a whole is
unimaginable. So, this project will empower people economically.”
Popular News
-
A US mayor of a small town in Illinois who sent Police officers on Sunday to break up parties amid coronavirus lockdown was left shocked ...
-
Happy New Month Nigeria! Welcome to the month of June. As the world searches for a respite from all its troubles since 2020 began, one can ...
-
Ayodeji Richard Makun, the Nigerian comedian and actor, who is popularly known as AY, has apologized to late singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, po...
-
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has submitted documents before the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) foll...
-
I guess a bit of Chaos is coming to the US following Donald Trump's election to the highest seat in the country. The state of Califor...
-
The Osun State Governor, Chief Ademola Adeleke, has escaped a horrific fate, according to a report by Leadership. By a stroke of luck, wh...
-
The United Kingdom (UK) has announced new travel requirements. This is as it said Visa is not enough for people wishing to enter the c...
-
After a meeting with President Bola Tinubu, the Assembly of Healthcare Professionals (AHPA) and Health workers under the aegis of the Joi...
-
Nigerians have lashed out at President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu after his long convoy of cars was spotted in Lagos on Tuesday. The co...
-
Italy have been crowned champions of the 2020 European Championship after defeating England 3-2 in penalties on Sunday night, July 11. ...
-
“Every improvement contributing to your outstanding experience is our daily motivation.” - Remitano Every product and feature on the Rem...
-
For the quarter, added 537,000 residential and small enterprise business internet customers versus 380,000 within the prior year quarter....
-
SMS marketing is a marketing channel which allows businesses to message customers with marketing messages through SMS, or more commonly kn...
-
Breaking news about iceland country incredible but true if you are interested read the full story iceland team was able to achieve an ...
-
Happy New Month Nigeria! Welcome to the month of June. As the world searches for a respite from all its troubles since 2020 began, one can ...
-
An Israeli professor has claimed that coronavirus will disappear after 70 days with or without intervention. The unproven claims were ma...
-
The Remitano founding team has always maintained the belief and vision that blockchain and cryptocurrencies are a big step forward for s...
-
Would you believe it if someone tells you that cayenne pepper has the power to stop a heart attack within a minute? Believe it or not, thi...
-
Apparently, ginger, a well-known spice we frequently add to different dishes to enhance the flavor, has the power to prevent cancer. But, i...
- bitcoin
- bitcoin mining
- Coronavirus
- dr anu nigeria
- coronavirus china
- Benefit Of Ginger Water
- Bobrisky
- Buhari
- coronavirus cure
- benefits of drinking milk
- Biafran War
- coronavirus death rate
- coronavirus outbreak
- dede one day mansion
- coronavirus update
- History of Biafra
- How To Make Ginger Water
- eri
- How to save your phone battery
- is 5g dangerous
- Kobe Bryant
- Jennifer Aniston
- kobe bryant family
- latest nigeria news paper
- kobe bryant wife
- latest on nigeria news
- naija news
- Malignant mesothelioma
- nigeria news
- Mesothelioma survival rates
- newspaper online in nigeria
- nigeria news breaking
- nigeria news headline today
- nigeria news of the day
- nigeria news paper online
- nigeria newspaper
- nigeria news paper today
- nigeria news today & breaking
- nigeria newspaper online
- nigerianewspaper
- nigeria newspapers
- Regina Daniels
- online dating scams
- Side Effects Of Eating Corn
- t mobile data usage
- online nigeria news
- what is tiger nut
- tiger nuts
- Tyson Fury
0 comments:
Post a Comment