Loss of Bakassi, an error by FG — Senate Leader

Senate leader, Victor-Ndoma-Egba, at the weekend, described the loss of the oil rich Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon as an error on the part of the Nigerian government. Ndoma-Egba, who stated this while speaking to newsmen at his residence, in Calabar, Cross River State, at the weekend, said constitutionally, Bakassi remains a part of Nigeria, but for the Senate to do anything to redress it is to justify the error that had been committed. His words: “constitutionally, Bakassi remains a part of Nigeria and so, we remain in a paradox of our own constitution which is a supreme document which says Bakassi is in Nigeria but the reality is that Bakassi is no longer in Nigeria and for the Senate to do anything to redress it, is to justify the error that has been committed” The Senate leader also said the exploration of solid minerals in the country should be an exclusive preserve of states and as such, should be included in the concurrent list. He stressed that since solid mineral exploration has environmental implications, it is necessary to allow states take charge of these solid minerals and pay certain amount to the Federal Government. “If matters pertaining to solid mineral exploitations are being included in the concurrent list, different states in Nigeria would have nothing to lose since almost all the states are endowed with either one solid mineral or the other.” “Exploration activities, especially, from quarries has negative environmental implications and that brings hardship to the people putting the government of the state in a helpless situation because none of the dime raised in extensive quarry firms enter the state government coffers “For me, I believe that solid minerals should be in the concurrent list.”