The Chairman, Committee on Environment in the
ongoing national conference, Florence Ita-Giwa,
speaks on her efforts in this interview with
MUDIAGA AFFE
You have been championing the cause of the
Bakassi people; to what extent have you
presented the plight of the displaced people
before the conference?
In the Committee on Environment, which I am
the chairman, we talked about loss of natural
resources and recommended compensation for
the people of Bakassi. The mandate from Cross
River was that the issue of Bakassi, among
others, must top our priority. The mandate is on
the loss of the territory. It was not contemplated
that Nigeria would suffer any loss of territory in
the modern era but the experience of the
International Court of Justice judgment of 2002,
where Nigeria lost Bakassi to Cameroon, should
provide us lessons. The Bakassi episode remains
a sad one with the displaced people in the
territory left without succour. Currently, these
people are destitute and are sustained by the
Cross River State Government. The Federal
Government has yet to pay compensation or find
a solution to the resettlement of the people. The
above situation is almost understandable on the
premise that such loss of territory was not
contemplated in the constitution, thus there is no
guidance on how the situation should be
resolved.
Has the conference provided the opportunity to
discuss and address such issues?
This conference is an opportunity for the nation
to contemplate this occurrence and make
provision in the constitution to take care of the
unlikely event of loss of territory leading to the
displacement of people or the loss of resources.
This constitution should operate retrospectively
so that the case of Bakassi can be addressed. In
this vein, we submit that upon loss of territory
as stated in the above circumstances, the
Federal Government should pay compensation in
perpetuity commensurate with the direct loss of
the state in terms of resources. Resettlement
and compensation for the people displaced
consequent of the loss of territory should be an
obligation of the Federal Government enshrined in
the constitution. We have been relocated and
resettled and comfortable with the host
community. We have in place a rotation that has
worked well with the host community in charge
of local government at Ikang. Right now, the
returnees have taken over the mantle of
leadership. There has been a peaceful transition.
I heard that someone made a presentation
without consultation that one committee
recommended that the matter of reclaiming
Bakassi be revisited. I am not interested in that.
I don’t want anybody to come and deceive me
into developing false hopes. When I talk of me, I
mean Bakassi indigenes –that I am likely to
return to Cameroon to go and live in Abana–it is
not possible. The 10-year period we had to
appeal has elapsed. That territory now belongs
to Cameroon and our people have been relocated
to Ikang. But we need proper resettlement. As I
speak now, I have 3,000 refugees in that camp.
They should be resettled. You cannot be a
refugee in your own country. They need to be
taken out of that camp and provided with
shelter. The people should be compensated in
form of scholarship to the indigenes, providing
health care and skill acquisition, among others.
To what extent has the South-South mandate
been met?
The entire South has come out with a position. I
am impressed that based on our submission, it
was agreed that the people of Bakassi be
compensated in perpetuity, not only for the
mental dislocation and trauma arising from the
ceding of Bakassi Peninsula but also for the loss
of economic and financial potential and
opportunities. Cross River State should be
compensated in perpetuity for the colossal loss
of land mass and the attendant loss of revenue
from the natural resources occasioned by the
ceding. Also, Bakassi indigenes, currently
languishing in the displaced persons camp,
should be properly and comprehensively
relocated and resettled in their home state of
Cross River. That is not to say that this is final,
it is still subject to further debate. In the
environment committee, this demand has been
put under loss of natural resources.
Can you give further insight into the loss of
natural resources you talked about?
Loss of resources is not only oil but also about
aquatic wealth because hitherto, the crayfish
that the entire country used came from Bakassi
and it is gone– all the big lobsters from there
are gone too. We lost oil wealth as well as
aquatic wealth. We have also taken care of our
forestry. That is why we recommended resource
management, which is different from resource
control.
Would you say you are satisfied with your efforts
so far on the mandate given to you?
Fortunately, the mandate the state gave me is
also my mandate. It is a mandate that, if the
Federal Government is serious, can be achieved.
But if you come here and tell us that we should
go back to court to bring back Bakassi, it is not
possible. The only way Bakassi can be brought
back is if the country goes to war, which is out
of it because they would not entertain the case
anymore. Mind you, we subjected ourselves to
the jurisdiction and we also allowed ourselves to
be used as guinea pigs that two countries can
settle scores without any loss of blood. Being
nominated by the state, I am abiding by the
mandate and I am pursuing it with all vigour. I
have recorded like 70 per cent success in going
round the committees. I think I am too old in
politics to deceive people. I am too old to give
people false hopes. I wear the shoes and I know
where they hurt. And for now, my people want
compensation and to be taken off the refugee
camp. Cross River State wants compensation in
perpetuity. We are also saying the issue of
Bakassi was a lesson; it must not happen to any
other state. What I tell my delegates is that this
thing happened to Cross River State, tomorrow it
could be you. So, we try to make provisions, in
case it happens or take steps to ensure it does
not happen again.
The debate on resource control seemed to have
pitted the North against the South, what is your
position?
This is one thorny issue that has been ongoing. I
have been saying we should put in place a truly
devolution of powers along the federating units.
Every region has their resources. If you do not
have oil, you have groundnut or cocoa. I do not
know why the issue of oil has become a serious
issue. Until you reduce power at the centre to
strengthen the federating units, this issue will
remain so.
Are you of the view that the country should be
governed on regional basis?
I personally do not agree with that. Rather, I
agree with the idea of strengthening the
federating units.
Would you say the conference is worth it?
I think this is the most well organised conference
so far. My only concern is the time limit. All the
key players in the Nigerian nation are here. Most
of those politicians who are the cause of what
had happened to Nigeria today are here. We are
obliged to put it back on course. What I am
saying is that even at fulfilling that obligation, I
see people who are determined, knowing that
they are obliged to put the country back on
course. Even very old people, still mentally alert,
are working day and night. I am pleased with
what I have seen and I am hopeful that at the
end of it, we will achieve success.
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