A joint technical committee made up of officials from the Ghana Boundary Commission and the Land Boundary Commission of Togo has started a three week exercise to identify and replace all damaged and destroyed boundary pillars along the international boundary line between the two countries.

Speaking at a joint Ghana-Togo community sensitization programme at Agortime-Kpetoe in the Volta Region, National Coordinator of the Ghana Boundary Commission, Major General Emmanuel Kotia said the re-affirmation exercise is important to prevent disputes over land boundaries.

“The Joint Technical Committee will be identifying all tampered, removed or destroyed boundary pillars within the demarcated line. We are not going to re-demarcate the boundary. In addition to this, we have realized that most of the residents in the border communities have difficulty locating where the boundary line is.

"We will be discussing with our counterpart from Togo to introduce additional boundary pillars which will be intermediary pillars, border crossing pillars and monumental pillars along towns so that it will be easier for the residents to identify the boundary line and also help us protect the boundary line”.

He urged residents to cooperate with the team that will be engaged in the exercise.

“We will need help from the traditional leaders, opinion leaders to educate the population in the border community that they will see a team going around the boundary lines within the next three weeks. They should cooperate with them. They should give them the necessary support,” he said.

The Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources in charge of Forestry, Benito Owusu-Bio said most of the Boundary markings that define the land boundary between Ghana and Togo among others have been destroyed.

“The fact remains that most of the boundary markings that define the land boundaries between Ghana and Togo have been displaced due to several factors such as erosion, tampering or outright removals”.

He also commended the Ghana Boundary Commission and the National Coordinator for the tremendous work to secure Ghana’s boundaries.

He said, “Major General just yesterday I received a letter from the President of the Republic of Ghana congratulating you for the good work you are doing, kindly continue with that work. Because the good work you are doing is there for everyone to see”.

Head of the Land Boundary Commision of Togo Dr, Lardja Douti who spoke through an interpreter said he is excited about the three week exercise. Volta Regional Minister Dr. Archibald Letsa said the Ghana Boundary Commission continues to brief his office about the commission’s activities in the region.

“We are always briefed by Major General Kotia and his team about all their activities. So we are part of all they have been doing, they have our maximum support”

Member of Parliament for Agortime Ziope, Charles Agbeve said the residents have a role to play in ensuring a successful exercise.