The President, John Evans Atta Mills, has given his assent to the Ghana Boundary Commission Bill passed by Parliament a fortnight ago under a certificate of urgency. The Act is supposed to establish a commission to negotiate proper demarcation of Ghana’s land and maritime boundaries with neighbouring countries. It became necessary for Ghana to enact the law after its neighbour, Ivory Coast, raised concerns that Ghana has encroached on its territorial waters. There were also concerns that Ivory Coast was laying claim to portions of Ghana’s oil find. Even before Parliament passed the bill, several adhoc committees were set up in the past to negotiate the country's boundaries with its neighbours, but no final demarcation was concluded. Now that the Bill has been passed into law, Deputy Minister of Information, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, says all is set for the composition of the commission. “President Mills assented to the bill last week Friday, the 19th of March 2010…it is now law,” he emphasized. “I can also confirm to you that a meeting has been fixed in April, just next month, with our Ivorian counterparts here in Accra, Ghana to commence discussion on this matter.” He maintained that everything is in order, dismissing fears that Ghana and Ivory Coast are at each other’s throat, “the matter should not be placed out of proportion,” he cautioned. Mr Ablakaw said the Lands and Forestry Minister has already written to the various stakeholder institutions that would make up the Boundary Commission. However, they are yet to present their representative that would be on the commission to the ministry. Chairman of Parliament’s Lands and Forestry Committee, Gershon Gbedeameh, has however played down suggestions that Ivory Coast is laying claim to portions of Ghana’s oil find. He noted that Parliament rushed through the bill to establish the negotiating commission because it had been under consideration for too long. Story by Isaac Essel/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana