WELCOME TO BAKASSI
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GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES
The peninsula lies roughly between latitudes 4°25' and 5°10'N and longitudes 8°20' and 9°08'E . It consists of a number of low-lying, largely mangrove covered islands covering an area of around 665 km². The population of Bakassi is the subject of some dispute, but is generally put at between 250,000 and 300,000 people.
Virtually all parts of Bakassi lie within the coastline. It is bordered in the North by Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State, in the West by the Atlantic Ocean, in the East by the Republic of Cameroun. Bakassi situates at the extreme eastern end of the Gulf of Guinea where the warm east-flowing Guinea current meets the cold North flowing Benquela current.
POPULATION
Bakassi has an estimated population of about 250,000 and 300,000 inhabitants at peak period.
GEOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES
The entire Area is underlain by one major geological formation, which is sedimentary Basin. The massive sedimentary basin is bounded in the East by the volcanic intrusions of the Republic of Cameroun.
Marine erosion, floods, oil spills/pollution, loss of biodiversity, poor quality of domestic water and frequent occurrence of fire disasters in highly congested residential areas of Bakassi Peninsula are serious environmental problems. The Lithology of the Peninsula which is more than seventy six percent (76%) sand is favourable for storage and extraction of ground water and is dominated by loose sands.
TRIBES
Bakassi is inhabited by the Efiks, Efiats, Usaka-edet and Efuts. There are other Nigerian Ethnic/Tribes settings (not indigenous) in the Peninsula to carry out their legitimate occupations.
LANGUAGES
The languages that are commonly spoken are Efik, Usaka-edet and English (with Efut being spoken by the older generation). Other languages are used among the ethnic groups that speak the same dialect.
ECONOMY
Bakassi is endowed with Crude oil deposits, gas and other unharnessed mineral resources and huge forest reserves. Timbers and forestry products.
It is a fertile fishing ground rich in fishery and fishing products such as shrimps, prawns etc
The area is also blessed with palm fruits, rubber and other food crops such as Yam, Cassava, Coco-yam etc.
TRADE AND INVESTMENT
The pre-occupation of the people is fishing, farming and trans-atlantic trade between Nigerian and Camerounian, Equatorial Guinea, Gabonese and other countries in the West African sub-region.
There is no ship or vessel that would berth at Calabar Port in Cross River State, Nigeria with taking it’s navigational bearing from Bakassi maritime Zone.
Again, during low tide, sand bars stretching a distance of over 14km long is usually obsereved between Abana and Atabong West (Atai-ema) shoreline. This provides a beautifull landscape which could be developed into a tourist attraction.