Imo State Deputy Governor, Prof. Placid Njoku has reiterated government’s resolve to ensuring peace and protection of lives and properties of people in the border communities, noting that the government has sacrificed a lot in order to achieve this.
Njoku spoke at Ohaji/ Egbema Local Government Area Headquarters Mmahu, during the flag off ceremony of the field work on the Imo/ Rivers inter- state boundary by the National Boundary Commission.
The deputy governor, who is also the State Boundary Committee Chairman, said occasional misunderstanding and conflicts have come up among the border communities in recent times which called for a quick definition of the boundary lines between the two sister states to avoid major conflicts in the future.
Prof. Njoku commended the office of the National Boundary Commission and that of the Surveyor- General of the federation for undertaking the difficult task of tracing and defining the limits of the inter- state borders of Imo and Rivers State.
He urged those in the affected border areas of Oguta, Ohaji/ Egbema, Owerri West and Ngor- Okpala local government to cooperate with the field officers to ensure its early completion.
Speaking, the Director General, National Boundary Commission, Mr. Adamu Adaji said the field work which is expected to last for two months and the joint field team of both states and the federal government would traverse the entire length of the boundary, passing through the affected local government areas of Oguta, Egbema and Ngor-Okpala in Imo State and the corresponding affected local government areas of Egbema, Ndoni, Emuoha, Ikwerre and Etche in Rivers State.
Adaji who later inaugurated the Joint Field Team, charged the members to among other things discharge their duties with utmost sense of professionalism and commitment as well as to come up with comprehensive data for the definition of the inter-state boundary.
The Special Adviser to the Governor, and Coordinator, Petroleum and Gas Matters, Chief Goodluck Opiah in his address regretted that despite the fact that some communities in Egbema have been ceded to Rivers State, the state has continued making efforts at adding more communities around Umudike/ Etekwuru axis in Egbema and Akiri in Oguta.
He made it clear that the boundary dispute if not well handled could degenerate into unmitigated communal crises but however pledged the support of stakeholders from those affected local government areas in the state to the National Boundary Commission and the office of the Surveyor General of the federation in resolving the boundary issues.
The IMC Chairman of Ohaji/ Egbema local government, Prince Marcel Amadioha described the inauguration of the Joint Field Team and the flag off of the field work on the Imo/ Rivers inter-state boundary as a welcome development as Rivers State has claimed some oil wells in some communities of Imo State.
The traditional ruler of Oguta, Eze Nani Nzeribe thanked the state government for bringing the matter to the front burner and urged members of the team to do a thorough job in order to ensure lasting peace in the affected communities.
Among those present at the occasion were, the Representative of the Surveyor General of the federation, Surv. Yemi Adebomide, the State Commissioner of Police, Isaac Akinmoyede, traditional rulers and stakeholders from the affected local government areas of Ohaji/ Egbema, Oguta, Owerri West and Ngor-Okpala.