Ghana and Togo are on the verge of finalizing a Maritime Boundary Delimitation Agreement, aiming to resolve the longstanding dispute over the ocean boundary between the two nations.

Currently, a delegation from Togo is meeting with the Ghana Boundary Commission in Accra to determine the signing dates for the agreement by the Presidents of both countries.

The disputed area has seen restrictions on fishing and economic activities. The National Coordinator for the Ghana Boundary Commission, Major General Emmanuel Kotia, emphasizes that the signed agreement will unlock economic opportunities in the region, offering a favorable environment for investors.

Major General Kotia points out that the negotiated resolution stands in contrast to the Ghana-Cote d'Ivoire situation, where international legal mechanisms were involved.

“We have been able to solve a maritime barrier through negotiation and mediation so going to the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea is unlike what happened between Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire.”

Negotiations between Ghana and Togo regarding their maritime boundary have been ongoing since 2018. Concurrently, the Ghana Boundary Commission Bill is undergoing parliamentary consideration.

Major General Kotia anticipates that once passed, the bill will empower the Commission to not only address external boundary disputes but also play a crucial role in resolving internal boundary and electoral boundary disagreements.

Speaking at the Commission's annual retreat in the Eastern Region, Major General Kotia expressed optimism about the expanded responsibilities, emphasizing the potential for the Commission to contribute significantly to the resolution of internal disputes through negotiation and mediation.

“This is a major development so far as the bill is concerned. The new area that we may be seeing ourselves performing is to help resolve internal boundary disputes, including electoral boundaries where they are deferred to us or where we have problems so far as internal boundaries are concerned. We are not going to be responsible for demarcating internal boundaries, but just to assist in amicably resolving this dispute through negotiation and mediation. It is going to enhance the tasks of the Boundary Commission,” Major General Kotia states.