Pirates advised to change profession

Pirates who have been wrecking havoc in the Gulf of Guinea that spans from the coast of Senegal in West Africa passing through Cameroon right down to Angola, have been advised to quit the profession and engage in morally acceptable activities.

The call was made by the Deputy Executive Secretary of the Gulf of Guinea Commission, GGC, Miguel Trovoada, in recently at the end of a series of endorsement meetings of the Inter-Regional Working Group.

The setting up of the Group whose mandate was to draw up basic texts to render operational the Yaounde based Inter-Regional Coordination Centre, ICC, came on the heels of the June 25, 2013 Heads of State and Government Summit on Maritime Security and Safety in the Gulf of Guinea.

The leaders at the summit under the chairmanship of President Paul Biya came from member countries of the Economic Community of Central African States, ECCAS, Economic Community of West Africa, ECOWAS, and personalities of GGC.

Shortly after the adoption and signing of the basic texts and their additional protocols at the Yaounde Hilton Hotel by representatives of ECCAS, ECOWAS and GGC, Trovoada, in an address, said the gentle push by the UN Security Council, led to the holding of the Yaounde summit.

Stating that the Inter-Regional Working Group worked hard to prepare the basic documents, she said the Memorandum of Understanding between ECOWAS, ECCAS and GGC led to the creation of the ICC with headquarters in Yaounde.

She hailed the enormous contributions of external bodies as she wished to see the ICC work in an effective manner. “The signing of the basic documents of a strategic centre like the ICC to maintain security and safety in the Gulf of Guinea is just the beginning of war against the illicit activities of the pirates,” Trovoada declared.

The Deputy Scribe of GGC listed a litany of criminal acts committed at sea by pirates noting that their days are now numbered with the setting up of the ICC.

Describing the work done by the Group as having far reaching consequences, the Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, Toga Gayewea Mcintosh, said efforts made would not only benefit the Governments, but also all the people of the Regions.

He outlined strengthening of linkages and inter-linkages between regional security and development; enhancing rapid movements of people and goods at cheaper costs and consolidation of the process for ECCAS, ECOWAS and GGC to bring development to the people, as key of some of the efforts of the Inter-Regional Working Group.

He added that the consolidation of the process falls within the development agenda of the African Union.

According to Toga, the ICC would effectively manage threats along the Gulf of Guinea, but however said for such a goal to be attained; all the Countries of the Regions must take their full responsibility in getting the ICC go operational.

He said the centre must be responsive and not deviated, be effective in size and do business with prudence; and above all manage the resources judiciously.

The Secretary General of ECCAS, Ahmad Allam-Mi, said experts deserve congratulations for the quality of work done so far.

He remarked that the adoption and signing of the basic texts is not an end in itself, but just the beginning of total engagement by ICC to stamp out criminal acts in the Gulf of Guinea.

Cameroon’s Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Defence and President of the National Committee for the Follow-up of Decisions of the Yaounde Summit on Maritime Security and Safety, Alain Edgar Mebe Ngo’o, said for ICC to attain its objectives, collective efforts, engagement, determination and sacrifice of all is needed.

Quoting Biya, he said piracy, armed robbery, taking of hostages and other illicit acts perpetrated on the high sea, along the coast or on the main land, constitute serious threats to development as well as peace and stability in the Gulf of Guinea.

Announcing that the ICC would be inaugurated on July 11, 2014, the Minister pledged that countries of the Regions would mutually pool resources for the centre to effectively combat trans-border crime.

He hailed all the stakeholders especially the media for their role in educating the public on the need to collaborate with defence forces to fight criminality.

The representative of the UN, François Ndiaye as well as that of P3 representing France, UK and USA, Veronique Lacan, also spoke promising their total support to the ICC.