President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has tasked the newly inaugurated Board of the Ghana Boundary Commission (GBC) to ensure that the country’s land boundaries are aptly delimited to avert disputes between Ghana and its neighboring countries.
He further endeavored the elected Board members to do due diligence in ensuring the resolution and avoidance of future disputes.
At a short ceremony held at the Jubilee House, Accra, President Akufo-Addo further stated that over the course of several decades, the African continent, had and still experiencing a number of inter-state border disputes, which had serious security implications for the countries involved.
“They are mandated as a Commission among others to determine and demarcate Ghana’s land boundaries and maritime boundaries in accordance with the accepted principles of international law. While doing so, the Commission must promote more effective management of the boundary demarcation and delimitation process and adopt practices on the demarcation and delimitation of boundaries.
“Indeed, we in Ghana for five years were embroiled in a maritime border dispute with our western neighbor Côte d’Ivoire and the ripple effect on our economy was felt”.
President Akufo-Addo further counseled the Board to promote a more effective management of the boundary demarcation and de-limitation process and adopt international best practices during the exercise.
“As a newly constituted Board, in accordance with Act 975, the Ghanaian people demand that at all times their interest are met”.
He invariably expressed optimism that the members of the Board would employ the use of their proficiency in discharging their duties in line with the Commission’s mandate.
“The task ahead of you is a challenging one…it is my expectation and hope that you would be up to it. You have my full support to undertake the measures required to enable you succeed”.
The Board is chaired by Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Kwesi Asomah Kyeremeh.
Members of the board include Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Foreign Affairs Minister; Gloria Afua Akuffo, Attorney-General; Dominic Nitiwul, Defence Minister and Solomon Adjetey Sowah, a representative of the Energy Ministry.
Other rest members are Paulina Susana Naa Darkua Addy, Representative, Agriculture Ministry; Nathaniel Amonoo Wilson representative, Transport Ministry; Sylvanus Kofi Adzornu representative, Local Government Ministry and Tangkpieo Benedict Dere, representative, National Security Ministry.
Francis Tanlongo, representative, Customs, Excise and Preventive Service; Michael Enam Dordor, representative, Ghana Institution of Surveyors; Prof. J. S. Y. Kuma, representative, Ghana Institution of Geoscientists and Dr. Eric Yeboah representative, Academic Institution, also form part of the Board.
Role of the Ghana Boundary Commission
The Ghana Boundary Commission came into being by an Act of Parliament, Act 795, assented to in April 1970, and duly gazetted on March 26, 2020.
It mandates the Commission to among others, determine and demarcate Ghana’s land boundaries and de-limit the country’s maritime boundaries in accordance with accepted principles of international law.
The Act enjoins the Commission to negotiate with Ghana’s neighbors concerning land or maritime boundary between Ghana and that country, undertake the physical demarcation and survey of land boundaries and the de-limitation of maritime boundaries.
