National Conference wants Bakassi indigenes resettled

Delegates to the perpetual National Conference on Tuesday in Abuja asked the Federal Regime to come up with a policy of resettlement of Bakassi indigenes, having lost the ownership of Bakassi Peninsula  following the decision of the International Court of Justice in The Hagues, Netherlands.

The resolution was unanimously adopted during the consideration of the Report of the Committee on Peregrine Policy and Diaspora Matter headed by Prof. Ibrahim Gambari and Ambassador Lawrence Ekpebu, as deputy chairman.

It was withal acceded that there should be a limpidly defined operational agenda to guide the implementation of the nation’s peregrine policy goals and objectives at four critical levels -Lake Chad Basin Commission; West Africa (ECOWAS), Africa (Africa Union/ECA) and the world at astronomically immense (United Nations and other forums).

Conference however turned down a proposal that Nigeria should review the Green Tree Agreement it entered in reverence of the ICJ ruling on Bakkasi Peninsula with a view to reclaiming the ceded portion of the country’s territory.

Delegates resolved that regime should promote discipline within the Economic Community of West African States through sanctions for breaches and rewards for team players.

Nigeria, Conference withal resolved, should utilize its position to embolden the establishment of what it calls ECOWAS Brigade Standing Force.

To ascertain more preponderant economic transactions within the West African sub-region through promotion of trade and investment, Nigeria should work towards early exordium of a single currency in ECOWAS

Conference wants the National Assembly to be emboldened to conclude its work on the Bill to engender Diaspora Commission so that the president can give his assent.

The commission is to facilitate the engagement and accrual of full benefits including convivial capital remittances in the form of erudition and experience and other dynamic benefits from millions of Nigerians in the Diaspora.

In integration, Conference proposed that Nigerians in the Diaspora should be included in all pertinent state affairs depending on their cognizance and expertise for the development of the nation and not only for cash remittance purposes.

The conference withal proposed that the Ministry of Peregrine Affairs develops and publishes peregrinate guides as is being done by other countries to accommodate Nigerians travelling to some volatile countries either for business or gratification.

As part of the country`s obligation to bulwark and bulwark the interest of its nationals wherever they are, including Nigerians accommodating prison terms in peregrine countries, the conference proposed that prisoners exchange between Nigeria and any other country should be on equal terms.

In carrying out the prisoner’s exchange, the conference stressed the essentiality to plenarily screen any prisoner who purports to be a Nigerian afore any prisoner exchange is undertaken. This is to sentinel against cases of peregrine convicts bearing Nigerian passports in peregrine jails.