20101218
Vanguard

AGAINST the backdrop of the dominance of French speaking countries over the English speaking nations, Ambassador Godknows Boladei Igali has condemned what he described as the overbearing influence of French language against Engish at the Lake Chad water border

The lake Chad water is directly bordered by Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon hence there is an over powering influence of French language during meetings and in policy documents.

Igali, in his opening remarks, in Abuja, at the weekend, advised that both languages should be reflected in all activities concerning Lake Chad water border.

According to him, "That Nigeria is the only English speaking country among the four member states directly bordering the lake while others are French speaking hence the need to ensure that the documents reflect the same meaning in both French and English

"That Nigeria is located at the downstream of the lake and its fate lies on the releases of water through the rivers upstream"

"That the lake Chad Basin Commission's places high premium on the replenishing of the Lake to its 1960 level by transferring water from the Congo for which the feasibility study has reached an advanced stage"

Nigeria is said to have donated the sum of U.S.$5million as grant to LCBC out of the total sum of U.S.$6million required to implement the feasibility studies for the inter-basin water transfer.