…Promises to Provide Basic Infrastructure
July 11, (THEWILL) – Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State has received the report of a committee set up to look into the Ebom/ Ebijaghara and Ediba/ Usumutong communal crisis.
The committee was headed by former Senate leader Victor Ndoma-Egba.
The committee was tasked with the responsibility of bringing an end to the crisis, which has been raging for over two decades and resulted in wanton destruction of lives and properties.
Speaking while receiving the report, Governor Ayade pledged to bring lasting peace to the war-torn communities through massive infrastructural development.
The governor said, “I have listened to you very clearly. I think the fundamental issue being raised here is the issue of infrastructure. We will sit down and look at the provision of land and decide on social housing structure. The commencement of the detailed design of the road network and all of that has to be worked out because this committee has done very well and you have worked within the time limit.”
Ayade also said he had extended the terms of the committee so that they would help him to provide infrastructure to the communities.
He urged the committee to provide a concept design, a social housing master plan for the entire Ebijaghara and a general detail of the infrastructure for the area.
Earlier, Senator Ndoma-Egba said the committee visited scenes of devastation in the communities.
“The committee visited the scenes of crises and while we did not see signs of blood again arising from the passage of time, we actually saw scenes of devastation and ruins, especially in the areas hitherto occupied by the Ebijaghara community and Usumutong,” he said.
The former Senate leader expressed the optimism that if implemented, the committee’s recommendations would heal wounds and bring lasting peace.
He also noted that the warring communities, which are under the Bahumuno nation, were already tired of the crisis and yearning for sustainable peace.
Ndoma-Egba added that the communities had on their own initiated and signed a peace accord, even before the committee’s intervention.
In its report, the committee called for government’s recognition of the Bahumuno Peace and Development Union and Bahumuno Youth council, describing them as critical stakeholders in peace building.
THEWILL Correspondent, Aniekan Bassey has over six years experience that spans across several fields in print journalism including development communication, sexual reproductive and health rights issues, crime, climate change, social justice, business and human interest stories.
