By Scroll reporter Lagos, Nigeria.
An Ijaw leader and chieftain of All Progressive Congress APC in Delta State, Micheal Johnny, has proffered what could be a lasting solution to the lingering land boundary dispute between Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja communities in Warri South West local government and Udu local government areas.
Johnny, also Chairman of Egbema Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation, through his media office, yesterday, said it is becoming worrisome that over the years the government of Delta state never made any genuine efforts to resolve the boundary dispute which had claimed many innocent lives and properties destroyed.
He said ‘ I am calling on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, being the chief security officer of the state to use part of the state’s security vote fund to acquire the “disputed land” from both communities, because all panel of enquiries set up by Okowa and previous administration on this matter produced no result”. I know Okowa inherited the Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja land dispute, let it also be on record that it was Governor Ifeanyi Okowa who permanently resolved the land dispute crisis, this should be his thinking and legacy and not playing politics with the crisis, acquiring the disputed land from both communities is the lasting solution”
He said ” at this point the Delta state government should immediately commence the process of acquiring the land from both communities after which a state or federal project be executed on the land to serve as a boundary in between the communities and for the interest of peace, the people of Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja communities should corporate and allow the state government to acquire the disputed land, such a land that is often taking the blood of innocent souls should be sold out because our lives are more important than any land”