Niger Delta
S’South Leaders Task Boundary Commission On Fieldwork
Four South-South zone states in the country have berated the National Boundary Commission (NBC) over its inability to take decisive actions to resolve inter-state boundary disputes in the region.
Recounting their challenges, the Governments of Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa Ibom and Edo states strongly condemned the lay-back attitude of the commission, calling on it to embark on fieldwork with a view to verifying claims made by parties to border disputes.
This, they said would enable the Commission to settle boundary disputes in the geopolitical region in real time as against its current practice of holding mere seminars and signing of communiques from time to time.
The boundary committees of the South-South states chaired by their respective deputy governors made this known at a 2-day interactive session organised by the National Boundary Commission at the Unity Hall, Asaba in Delta State.
Speaking at the event, the Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, wondered why the NBC had failed to implement the Supreme Court order of 2012.
The order, according to Senator Ewhrudjakpo, mandates the Commission to properly delineate the boundary between Rivers and Bayelsa especially in regards to the Oluasiri/Soku dispute.
Describing Bayelsa and Rivers people as brothers and sisters, he urged NBC not to allow any party involved in the dispute to slow down its efforts, but rather take practical steps towards resolving the issue in the interest of justice and peace.
“We in Rivers and Bayelsa are brothers more mingled than Delta and Edo. We want our dispute settled as quickly as possible now. Like the Attorney General presented earlier, we don’t have any problem in the borderline of Sagbama and Ekeremor LGAs which were part of the then Mid-western region.
“The only one that came up on that axis was the Beniseide and since the resolution of 2002/2003 that boundary has been quite. The only one that has refused to be quite is this Rivers/Bayelsa Boundary.
“It is quite pathetic in the sense that since 2012 when the Supreme Court gave its judgement, nothing has been done. I think the NBC needs to be a little bit more decisive.
“On issues where court has given an order, ‘go and do this’ and the other party is not forthcoming, what I expect the NBC to do is to go to the ground (field), act as a neutral body, do the right thing and then ask the Federal Government to help you enforce your decision.”
On his part, the host deputy governor, Barrister Kingsley Otuaro, identified lack of will as the cause of NBC’s inability to exercise its statutory responsibility, which he noted, had caused incalculable damage in border communities.
While calling on the Commission to live up to its billing, he expressed readiness on the part of both Delta and Edo state governments to pool resources together for NBC to go into fieldwork and settle their boundary dispute.
Otuaro said, “NBC seem to be lacking the strong will to do what they are statutorily empowered to do. Series of meetings have been held in both states and many communiques signed, some of which the NBC was also part of. But from then till now, we have not seen any tangible results.
Niger Delta
Ibom Air Reiterates Commitment To Healthcare Delivery
Niger Delta
Group Dismisses Call For NDDC MD’s Sack … Passes Confidence Vote.
Niger Delta
Obaseki Approves N70,000 Minimum Wage For Workers
-
News2 days ago
You Failed Nigerians, Falana Slams Power Minister
-
Nation2 days ago
Ibom Developers Supports 160 Women with Skill Acquisition Training in Akwa Ibom
-
Niger Delta2 days ago
Fire razes 4 shops in Edo
-
News2 days ago
Reps Order NERC To Suspend Implementation Of New Electricity Tariff
-
Niger Delta2 days ago
Calabar Port Dormant In 25 years -Manager
-
News2 days ago
FG Flags Off PH-Aba Train Service
-
Featured2 days ago
Draw Up Futuristic Policies To Strengthen Governance, Fubara Tells NISS Team …Says Rivers’ll Deploy AI To Drive Dev, Tackle Political Crisis
-
News2 days ago
Drama As Senators Jostle For Seats In Newly Renovated Chamber