Former Minister of Justice and Attorney General Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong has expressed joy at the ruling of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) delivered on Saturday.
The Tribunal virtually upheld Ghana’s long-standing view of its maritime boundary against a new dimension tabled by La Cote d’Ivoire.
Speaking on TV3’s Midday Live shortly after the judgement, Mrs Appiah-Oppong said: “It is a win for Ghana.”
She had led the charge to the Germany-based international maritime court after bilateral efforts to find a solution to the dispute fell on rocks.
But the change in government in 2017 saw the current Minister of Justice, Gloria Afua Akuffo, take over the handling of the case from Mrs Appiah-Oppong.
The former AG felt vindicated by taking the issue to the Tribunal, insinuating that Ghana’s “resources are preserved and intact”.
She challenged assertions that Ghana clinched victory as a result of already deepened exploratory activities and that a different judgement other than Saturday’s would have dealt huge economic blow to the country.
“The Tribunal actually said it was not going to take into consideration resources in the area,” she said as the preceding statement of the President of the Special Chamber when hearing of case began in 2014.
She expressed happiness that finality has been brought to the case.
