The immediate past Attorney-General and Minister of Justice in the erstwhile NDC government Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong and the newly appointed AG Gloria Akufo are both representing Ghana in the hearing of a maritime dispute with Cote D'Ivoire, at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in Germany.

Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong formally introduced Ms Akuffo to the Special Chamber as taking over from her as an agent of Ghana.

Many Ghanaians have been commended the harmony which seems to exist between the two even though they belong to different political parties.

This is because of the tension which appears to exist between members of the NDC and NPP in the country.

Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong and Gloria Akufoplay Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong and Gloria Akufo

Similarly, the new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, hosted a send-off party for her predecessor, Hanna Tetteh, on Wednesday, February 1.

Cote D’Ivoire is claiming ownership of the disputed TEN oil field, forcing Ghana to file a suit at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) to ward off Ivory Coast from disputed oilfields.

It filed its suit based on Article 287 Annex VII of the 1982 UNCLOS.

Marieta Brew Appiah-Oppong and Gloria Akuffoplay Marieta Brew Appiah-Oppong and Gloria Akuffo

Cote d’Ivoire in February 2015 filed for preliminary measures and urged the tribunal to suspend all activities in the disputed area until the definitive determination of the case, dubbed: “Dispute Concerning Delimitation of the Maritime Boundary between Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire in the Atlantic Ocean.”

But the Special Chamber of the ITLOS on April 25, 2015 declined to suspend production activities in the disputed area with the explanation that “in the view of the Special Chamber, the suspension of ongoing activities conducted by Ghana in respect of which drilling has already taken place would entail the risk of considerable financial loss to Ghana, and its concessioners and could also pose a serious danger to the marine environment resulting, in particular, from the deterioration of equipment.”

source:pulse.com.gh