Bakassi: Cross River assembly calls for compensation By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Calabar

Barely 10 months after the Federal Government performed the final hand over of the disputed oil-rich Bakassi Peninsular to the Republic of Cameroon , the Cross River State House of Assembly has called for compensation to the state by the Federal Government.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) sitting at The Hague in Netherlands, had on September 2002 in its judgment over the ownership of Bakassi between Nigeria and Cameroon ceded the place to Cameroon .
The ceding has led to the removal of the state from the oil producing states, which in turn has affected the revenue base of the state as it no longer benefit from the 13 per cent oil derivation.
In a motion of matter of urgent public interest sponsored by Hon. Dominic Edem the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, and supported by Hon. Omang Idiege representing Bekwarra state constituency, Wednesday, the house said that it was a double tragedy to cede a part of the state to the Cameroon without the consent of the people and also delist the state from the league of oil producing states.
After contributions from members which were full of emotions, the House resolved “that the federal government should appropriately compensate Cross River State and its people in perpetuity for the ceding of the oil-rich Bakassi Peninsular and the displacement of its population still wandering all over which was done in the corporate interest of the nation”.
The House presided over by the Speaker Hon. Frank Adah also resolved that “the Cross River State House of Assembly and indeed the entire people are appreciative of the fatherly role of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua and his prompt intervention in the crisis with a view to redressing the injustice being meted out to Cross River State and its people”.
Other resolutions included, “that the National Boundary Commission should revisit as a matter of urgency the purported boundary adjustment between Cross River and its sister state Akwa Ibom which has led to the loss of our membership of the league of oil producing states in Nigeria. ” “That the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission should review and reverse its decision to exclude Cross River State from receiving its entitlement as an oil producing state.
The House commended the people of the state for remaining peaceful and exhibiting high level of understanding in the face of what it described unwarranted provocation and advised the people to continue to remain calm, patient and law-abiding, while the state government seeks amicable and urgent resolution of the matter.