The Cross River State Businessmen's Forum has disputed the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio's assertion that Cross River State is a non-littoral state. In a statement signed by its President, Chief Henry Onwe, the Forum described Akpabio's claim as "geographically inaccurate." The statement was issued in Calabar, the state capital. According to the Forum, Akpabio's claim is unacceptable from a national leader who should speak based on facts and neutrality.
Akpabio made the claim during a recent event marking the 39th Anniversary of Akwa Ibom state. The Cross River State Businessmen's Forum, however, listed four facts to support its position that Cross River remains a littoral state. One of the facts cited is the presence of the Eastern Naval Command in Calabar, which the Forum argued could not be based in a landlocked territory.
The Forum also pointed out that Cross River was re-accredited as a littoral state by relevant federal agencies after geopolitical reviews. Additionally, Chief Onwe noted that the physical existence of the Cross River Estuary, which discharges into the Bight of Bonny in the Atlantic Ocean, with islands projecting into international waters, is a clear indication of the state's littoral status.
The 2012 Supreme Court judgment, which settled the allocation of oil wells, did not erase the state's coastline, according to the Forum. The judgment has often been cited in discussions about the state's status. The Forum emphasized that current efforts by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) involve GPS mapping to redress historical anomalies.
These efforts include scientific work for the Bakassi Deep Seaport, which has identified oil wellheads within the state's coastal boundaries. The Forum argued that these facts and ongoing projects confirm Cross River's status as a littoral state. The statement was released amid growing debate over the state's geographical classification.
The Cross River State Businessmen's Forum expressed its support for Governor Bassey Otu's stance on the matter and called on all stakeholders, including the media, to maintain neutrality and rely on "physical geography as well as certified federal data." The Forum's statement is seen as a significant development in the ongoing discussion about Cross River's littoral status.
The dispute over Cross River's status has sparked a heated debate, with various stakeholders weighing in on the issue. The Senate President's claim has been met with resistance from the state's leaders and business community, who argue that the state's geographical classification has significant economic and developmental implications.
Key points
- The Cross River State Businessmen's Forum disputes Senate President Akpabio's claim that the state is landlocked, citing geographical facts and federal data.
- The Forum cites the presence of the Eastern Naval Command and the Cross River Estuary as evidence of the state's littoral status.
- The dispute has sparked a heated debate, with stakeholders emphasizing the economic and developmental implications of the state's geographical classification.
