A peace committee set up by the Chairman of Andoni Local Government Council Erastus Charles Awortu to
resolve sundry conflicts between Communities in Andoni has submitted its report on the Egwede and Ayama Agana boundary dispute with far reaching recommendation aimed at achieving lasting peace in the Communities.
The intervention by the Andoni Communities Conflict Resolution Committee followed the judgment of the Rivers State High Court and the Court of Appeal in Port-Harcourt on the age-long boundary dispute between the two Communities.
The Andoni Council Chairman Erastus Awortu while receiving the committee report at the Council Secretariat in Ngo said the peace initiative was borne out of the need to reduce communal conflict and foster peaceful co-existence among the people of Egwede and Ayama Agana Communities.
He noted that boundary dispute breeds cultism and all forms of social vices which are inimical to the peace and development of the society.
Awortu said this necessitated his decision to set up the Andoni Communities Conflict Resolution Committee to address sundry conflicts in Andoni as a way of curbing the menace of cultism and youth restiveness which plagued the area prior the inception of his administration.
“The need to reduce conflicts within the Andoni Nation necessitated this move, there are pockets of boundary issues and sundry conflicts, so we put up this committee to intervene and see how we can bring all these matters under control because you know some of this boundary issues and other conflicts are fertile ground for cultism as parties in the dispute take advantage of it to sponsor cultism on each sides, it is part of the problem, we believe that if we nip boundary dispute in the bud it would reduce the rate at which our Youths are employed in unproductive ventures”
The Andoni Council Chairman Erastus Awortu while commending the Committee for delivering the task in line with their terms of reference described the report as a comprehensive roadmap towards achieving sustainable peace between the people of Egwede Community and their Ayama Agana neighbour’s.
He also pledged full implementation of the report while urging the people of Andoni to promote tolerance and Brotherliness amongst themselves at all time.
“We are happy that you were able to successfully conclude this assignment in respect of this two Communities and you are still working on others, so it is a good thing and that is why we value the work of that committee because it is one of the cardinal objectives of this government to reduce conflicts and engender communal living in Andoni”.
“We are going to implement the report of the committee”
“The State Boundary Commission is involve, we are going to bring in Surveyors from the State to put in the beacons and a landmass that will differentiate both Communities so that this matter is put to rest finally”
The Chairman of the Andoni Communities Conflict Resolution Committee and Paramount Ruler of Unyengala, King Abah Agwuile while presenting the report to the Council Chairman said the committee attended to all claims and counter claims on the dispute dispassionately, fairly and justly in accordance with subsisting judgments of the lower court and the appellate court on the matter.
He urged the people of both Communities to eschew all forms of divisive tendencies, unite and live in harmony with the deep understanding that they are brothers.
“During our field report we discover that both Communities crisscrossed, in other words, if you find the building of an Egwede man in the area in dispute, you will equally find the Houses of Ayama Agana people in the dispute area or in Egwede axis”.
“Houses that fall across a boundary line belonging to either of the Communities built earlier will remain while those built in the course of the exercise by the Committee that are well established will be demolished”.
5″And again if incidentally the House of an Egwede man is found across the boundary line of Ayama Agana axis such person will only have the benefit of right of residency while the proprietory right of ownership belong to the Community where such building is found and vice-versa”.
