Ghana – Togo in Maritime Border Dispute

Officials of Togo have stopped two seismic vessels from Ghana from undertaking seismic activities to acquire seismic data in the deep sea over ownership of the territory.

Togo, which borders Ghana to the East, has been claiming ownership of a maritime boundary that approaches the French-speaking country.

According to officials of the Ghana Petroleum Commission, the development is brewing tension between the two countries a few months after Ghana settled a similar dispute with Ivory Coast.

The acting Director of the Resource Management Unit of the Commission, Mr Francis Ackah, told the media at a training event that the fresh maritime border dispute commenced December 2017 and surfaced again in May 2018.

Mr. Ackah disclosed that Ghana is also handling a similar border dispute with its northern neighbour Burkina Faso.

“Togo says that it does not recognise our borders and so we need to meet the authorities of that country and see how we can resolve the issue. Already, the Ministry of Energy has put in place a committee to handle the issue.

“In December 2017, a seismic vessel from Ghana was on the sea when the Togo Navy stopped it from working. While we were looking at that issue, another seismic vessel was stopped by the Togolese authorities this month,” he said.

He said both countries are managing the situation.

On September 23, 2017, The Special Chamber of the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea in Germany ruled in favour of Ghana in a maritime dispute.

Source: Starrfmonline