Leocadia Bongben & Victorine Biy Yongka
The Foreign Affairs Minister of Nigeria, Hon. Chief Ojo Madeukwe, has said that fortified joint border patrols between Nigeria and Cameron is the only remedy to strengthen bilateral relations between the two neighbours.
Chief Ojo made the statement in Yaounde during deliberations of the 4th session of the Cameroon-Nigeria Joint Commission meeting.The Minister called on Nigerians living in Cameroon to be law abiding, reiterating that the two countries are fighting a battle with an unknown enemy.
He made it clear that the rebels of the Niger Delta who are causing havoc both in Nigeria and the Bakassi region want to benefit from resources from both countries in a rather cruel manner.
He also said the enemies who are neither for the good of Cameroonians nor Nigerians can only be dismantled if the two countries tighten their security. He added that this goal can only be achieved if security forces are loyal and abide by the rules and regulations of the two countries.
He, however, affirmed that his country is ready to respect the roles of the Greentree Accord by working with Cameroon in synergy so as to track down on the rebels.Hon. Chief OJO also said that his country is ready to continue strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries. He noted that Cameroon has a good atmosphere for investment prove of Nigerians stationed here foe business purposes.
He however said that trans-border trade between the two countries can be bettered if good roads are constructed to facilitate trade movements. In light with this, the two delegations underlined that the area of investment between the two countries have to be revisited. It was noted that their present commercial exchange level is low and needs to ameliorate the situation is necessary. According to the bilateral accord on trade between the two countries of 1963 that was revisited in 1982, frontier trade has to be facilitated between the brotherly countries.
On his part, the Minister Delegate at the Ministry of External Relation In charge of the Commonwealth, Joseph Dion Ngute, affirmed that the commission was an occasion to celebrate solidarity between the two countries, adding that it opens a new page between the two countries.
After the three day deliberations, the experts resolved to tighten trans-border security between the two countries. In his closing remarks, the Minister of External Relations, Henri Eyebe Ayissi, said that in future, the two united countries will be under the banner of a 'CAMNIGERIA NEW SPIRIT'. A message which to him will serve the two countries to share family issues without fear.
It should be recalled that other areas where both countries have also resolved to work in partnership include, the promotion of friendly relations at the level of the media, scientific and technical research, cooperation in the domains of culture and youths and sports. The two delegations also proposed that the two countries should encourage their private sectors to contribute in the construction of joint ventures to the mutual respect of their citizens.
In this light, it was said that efforts should be made in the domains of agriculture, water resources, environment, petrol and gas, education, commerce and investment, industrial cooperation, culture and tourism, science and technology and transport (air, water and land).
The parties also resolved to put in place a permanent committee on the issue of immigrants. They are supposed to meet annually and in a mixed patrol to resolve problems pertaining to immigration.
Since its creation, the joint commission has deliberated in three occasions. The first and second sessions took place in Yaounde, 1987 and Abuja in 1993 respectively. In 2002, the third session took place in Nigeria, Abuja and the fourth now in Yaounde, October 2008.
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