Head of Research at the Kofi Annan International Peace-Keeping Training Centre, Dr Kwesi Aning, says Ivory Coast’s claim to portions of Ghana’s oil fields exemplifies “a failure of the state institutions to protect our national interest.” Dr Aning said there is a general lack of seriousness in ensuring the country’s boundaries are protected. Ivory Coast has sent the government of Ghana a correspondence expressing outright disrespect for an existing “median line” that divides the two countries. The Francophone country consequently served the United Nations with a similar correspondence saying it does not respect a temporary boundary between the two countries. The Ghana Government is expecting Parliament to quickly deliberate on a bill that would establish a boundary commission to negotiate Ghana’s maritime boundaries with Ivory Coast. The Ghana Boundaries Commission Bill has been sent to Parliament under a certificate of urgency, Lands and Natural Resources Minister Collins Dauda told the Super Morning Show on Thursday. “A national boundaries commission will be put in place that would engage our neighbours in La Cote d’Ivoire with a view of negotiating our maritime boundary between ourselves and our brothers in Ivory Coast,” he said. Dr Aning said the bill must be given a strong bi-partisan urgency to ensure that the country derives the most out of its oil resource. The security expert is also recommending a solid technical documentation studied by lawyers with expertise on petroleum matters. Diplomatic implications The Lands and Natural Resources Minister says the emerging claim from Ivory Coast for portions of the oil fields in the Western Region is a very delicate matter. Collins Dauda said the issue has serious international and diplomatic repercussions. “We have not been able, as a country, to determine our boundary with Ivory Coast and there is the need for us to now determine the maritime boundary between Ghana and Ivory Coast,” he said. Mr Dauda however said both countries have, for years, respected “a median line” between them that cannot be trespassed. “All of a sudden, with the oil find, Ivory Coast is making a claim that is disrespecting this median line we have all respected. In which case we would be affected or the oil find will be affected,” he said. Baseless claim The Lands and Natural Resources Minister said the claim by Ivory Coast is baseless. This, according to him, is because the claim by the Francophone country is rather parallel to certain internationally acceptable standards of determining maritime boundaries.” Collins Dauda said, last year, Ghana appealed to the United Nations to extend its maritime boundary by 200 nautical miles. As a precondition, the UN directed the country to negotiate boundaries with its neighbours, he disclosed. Disrespect for ‘median line’ The latest turn of events may even be more surprising as Ivory Coast has already sent a correspondence to the Republic of Ghana, expressing disrespect for the median line the two countries have agreed upon for years. Consequently, Ivory Coast has made a submission to the United Nations laying claim to portions of the Ghana’s oil find. Story by Myjoyonline.com/Ghana