Resolve Ghana’s Boundary Disputes – Akufo-Addo Tasks Reconstituted Boundary Commission Board

President Akufo-Addo has charged the newly inaugurated Board of the Ghana Boundary Commission (GBC) to ensure that all boundary disputes between Ghana and its neighbouring countries are resolved.

Nana Akufo-Addo has also tasked the Commission to ensure that the country's land boundaries are well-demarcated to avoid any more disputes.

The President was speaking at the inauguration of the Commission which is chaired by Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Kwesi Asomah Kyeremeh at the Jubilee House on Tuesday.

“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,” Akufo-Addo said.

“Indeed, we in Ghana for five years were embroiled in a maritime border dispute with our western neighbour Côte d’Ivoire and the ripple effect on our economy was felt,” he further lamented.

Other 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.

The rest 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.

It also consists of 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.

Role of the 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 amongst others, to 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 neighbours 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.