Aladja/Ogbeh-Ijoh crisis: Okowa receives committee reports

Delta State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has promised to continue to preach peaceful coexistence among the people of the state.

Governor Okowa made the promise while receiving reports from the committee set up to resolve the land dispute between Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh communities.

The governor further said: “I have always said that in any dispute, there must be give and take for the best resolution to be achieved and I want to thank you (members of the committee) for the reports as presented. We will study them and take the right decisions for a lasting solution to the crisis.

“Government will not shy away from taking decisions that may not be palatable if the need arises,” the governor said, adding, “it is our duty to preach peace; we must be careful about the type of communities we leave for our children. Any father or mother who wants to leave a crisis-ridden community is not worthy to be one.”

It will be recalled that Governor Okowa had on May 25, 2016, inaugurated the committee which had Professor Abednego Ekoko as Chairman, with its membership comprising Mr. F.O. Osiawa, Surveyor General; Mr. J.N Ogabu, Assistant Surveyor-General; Mr Ernest Edomwonyi, Legal Counsel/ Secretary; Chief Paulson Okobiebi and Elder Stephenson Lerhovwre (Aladja community representatives) and Honourable Denbofa Oweikpodor, Mr. Franklyn Igangan (Ogbe-Ijoh community Representatives).

Professor Ekoko presented a majority report of the committee while Honourable Oweikpodor presented a minority report on their findings and recommendations to Governor Okowa at a brief ceremony which was witnessed by members of the state security council in Asaba.

Governor Okowa, who commended the committee for a job well done, assured that the state executive reports would be studied and the best actions in the interest of the people would be taken.

He used the occasion to urge both communities to maintain existing peace, stating that “in the interim, both communities should steer clear of the disputed land as security agencies will remain in the disputed area.”

While decrying the murder of some persons in the area as a result of the crisis, Governor Okowa disclosed that the murder cases would continue in the court and assured that the law would takeits course.

In his speech, Professor Ekoko on behalf of members of the committee, thanked the state government for deeming them fit to serve the state in that capacity, stating that the committee carried out a detailed assignment with the interests of the communities involved at heart while Oweikpodor in his minority report, disclosed that the minority report had to come up because of a few grey areas where they disagreed with the majority report.