Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Alhassan Tampuli has warned of a looming maritime dispute between Ghana and her neighbouring country to the east, Togo.
Urging government to take immediate steps to initiate talks with the Togolese authorities on maritime border demarcation, Mr. Tampuli said an early determination of the maritime boundary between the two countries to forestall any future boundary dispute.
Mr. Tampuli, also narrated how the Ghana National Petroleum Commissions Exploration company, Explorco is often harassed by the Togolese Naval patrol from exploring.
“If you have an eye on our maritime boundaries, you will realise the things Togolese people do. Explorco, GNPC’s exploration subsidiary is often harassed by the Togolese Navy any time they are having activities there. And they have been doing that all time. How long can you avoid such confrontation? At some point you need to take action otherwise one day we may have bullets coming off.” He said.
Ghana just came out of a three-year legal battle with her western neighbour, Ivory Coast, over the ownership of some oil reserves situated around the West Cape Three Point.
This legal battle Mr. Tampuli believes could emerge when a natural resource is discovered along the Ghana-Togo boundary.
In another breath Immediate past Attorney General, Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong has also implored government to ensure the delimitation of the country's border with neighbouring Togo to avert future dispute.
She said a definite resolution of the border boundary with Togo will save Ghana the experience it went through with the four-year-old maritime dispute with Ivory Coast.
