The Bayelsa State government has called on the National Boundary Commission to expedite action on the resolution of the boundary dispute between it (Bayelsa) and Rivers State to enhance peaceful co-existence between them.
The state Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, made the call while declaring open a town hall meeting and ethnographic study concerning the communities along the Bayelsa and Delta inter-state boundaries in Yenagoa.
According to him, peace will be elusive if the commission does not first of all address issues of equity, justice, and fairness in resolving boundary conflicts.
Ewhrudjakpo said while it was commendable for NBC to seek peaceful resolution for the impacted communities of Bayelsa and Delta states, it should rather focus on settling the age-long boundary dispute between Bayelsa and Rivers States.
The deputy governor, who also serves as chairman of the State Boundary Committee, emphasised the importance of all parties coming together to resolve their differences through dialogue, noting that there can be no peace or development without equity.
He said, “The issue of a boundary dispute that is stinging us the most is between Bayelsa and Rivers States. I want the National Boundary Commission to fast-track the resolution of that boundary dispute.
“We don’t see much that is stinging us in the impacted communities between Bayelsa and Delta states. If there is no equity, there will be no peace. I have always enjoined the NBC to ensure equity in the resolution of boundary conflicts.
“We must bring all who have a role to play in the meeting, including traditional rulers, community development chairmen, youths, women, and other stakeholders, towards proffering solutions and ensuring lasting peaceful and harmonious co-existence.”
In his remarks, the member representing Sagbama/Ekeremor in the House of Representatives, Fred Agbedi, appealed to all boundary communities between Agge in Bayelsa’s Ekeremor Local Government and Okia in Delta to continually maintain peace and bring to the attention of government all issues affecting them.
In his address, the Director General of the NBC, represented by Femi Oshinaike, a director in the commission, said the town hall meeting was organised to inform residents of contesting communities along the Bayelsa and Delta inter-state boundaries about the boundary definition process.
Oshinaike noted that the meeting was to provide them with the opportunity to air their opinions to reach a consensus before the physical demarcation exercise takes place.
While speaking with reporters on the boundary dispute between Bayelsa and Rivers states, Oshinaike explained that the commission was doing everything to ensure equity in the demarcation of the boundary between the two states.
Also in his address, Senior Research Officer, Balogun Samson, gave an overview of the current situation between Bayelsa and Delta State boundaries.
He said the recent crisis between neighbouring communities of Agge in Bayelsa and Okia in Delta necessitated the intervention by the NBC to bring stakeholders together to resolve their issues amicably.
