The Federal Government has expressed concern over the lingering inter-state boundary dispute between Edo and Delta States, the National Boundary Commission (NBC) has said.
?
This was made known in a statement signed by Mr Charles Dafe, NBC’s Resident Information Officer and made available to newsmen on Friday in Abuja
It said government was worried over the effect of the delay in resolving the dispute as it was detrimental to development in the disputed areas.
It also quoted Dr Mohammad Ahmed, the Director-General of the commission, as saying that the resolution process which had gone on for many years was epileptic.
?
“It’s sad to note that in spite of the numerous efforts of the federal government and efforts from government of both states, the pace of progress at resolving the boundary dispute has been epileptic.
?
`”This result is not commensurate with the manpower and resources committed to the dispute”, Ahmed said.
He said President Goodluck Jonathan had challenged the commission to translate success recorded in Nigeria’s international boundaries to all the nation’s internal boundaries for speedy demarcation and beaconing.
?
Ahmed revealed that the commission in 1995 had initiated a Joint Field Work comprising both federal and state surveyors from both states to provisionally demarcate the boundary.
He said although the project suffered many setbacks, the commission after six years, still produced a report which had some of its contents rejected by both states.
?
The NBC director-general? added that his commission in order to address such disagreements, in 2006, redirected an additional field work on those contentious portions.
?
“The report of this effort has till date also suffered rejection by both states”, he said.
The statement said Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of Edo had identified the acceptance of River Ethiope/Ossiomo River as the boundary between the two states as the most contentious portion of the boundary.
Other portions are claims to a portion of the Urhonigbe Forest Reserve by Abraka and other Delta communities and claims to the Siluko River as the boundary of Ofunama sector.
?
`”The problem here is that the legal notice placed the boundary, four miles south of the river”, the statement quoted the governor to have said.
The NBC said Oshiomhole had enjoined the commission to be fair and stick to the truth in resolving the boundary problem.
It said Prof. Amos Utuama, the Delta Deputy Governor, had also assured the commission that his state would not encroach on Edo’s land.
He had explained that since both states were originally one state that lived together, many inhabitants of both states had made assumptions on what should either constitute Edo or Delta territory.
?
The commission disclosed that a technical committee had been constituted to meet at the office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation between October 25 and 27, towards a resolution.
?
“The constituted committee will critically study all records, materials and maps relevant to the dispute and identify all outstanding areas.
“It will also critically examine the provisions of the Western Nigeria Legal Notice No 252 of March 1962 as it relates to the Ogiopa Forest Reserve and agreements entered into by various communities when the reserve was created,’’ it said.
?
The NBC said the technical committee, on completion of its exercise, would submit its reports to the commission, which will in turn would convene a higher meeting of the Internal Boundary Technical Committee (IBTC).
The commission said the IBTC would be chaired by Vice President Namadi Sambo who also is Chairman of the NBC.(NAN)
?