By Ochiaka Ugwu
Relief may have come the way of the peoples living in boundary communities Cross River and Ebonyi States that have been thrown into conflict over land dispute as stakeholders agreed on a communiqué on how best to resolve the age long dispute.
Reading out the communiqué after a roundtable discussion on sustainable solution to the dispute in Abuja Wednesday, Director General of Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Dr. Bakut Bakut said that participants reached a communiqué after rigorous discussion on how best to end the conflict.
Bakut flanked by the National Boundary Commission (NBC) Director General, Mr. Adamu Adaji noted that NBC and IPCR should collaborate to do an ethnographic study of the disputing communities.
Bakut stated the urgent need for the National Boundaries Commission to conduct checks and verifications in the boundary communities to establish and demarcate the boundary between Ukele and Izzi, which equally defines the Cross River and Ebonyl State boundary.
According to the communiqué, “The Nigerian Police should establish a permanent presence in the boundary communities to provide security for lives, property and ensure free movement of persons for adequate engagement in farming and other socio-economic activities.
“The National Orientation Agency should be more involved in peace enlightenment and awareness campaigns that target all the stakeholders in the boundary communities. “NEMA/Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management be urged to intervene in the area of disaster risk reduction and provision of necessary relief materials to the affected communities.
“IPCR, NEMA, NOA and other relevant government agencies should collaborate with IPCR and NBC to administer relief materials to the affected communities.
“Federal and state governments should make conscious efforts towards provision of social amenities for the border communities” it noted.
It also stated that Governors of Cross Rivers State and Ebonyi States be recommended for their laudable decisions reached at the Port Harcourt summit of the August 2018 on the resolution of the crises and are hereby urged to implement the cross border projects
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