Ndoma-Egba heads reconciliation committee to end communal disputes in C’River

Former Majority Leader in the Senate, Victor Ndoma-Egba has been appointed to head a peace, rehabilitation and reconciliation committee to resolve lingering communal skirmishes in four communities of Cross River State.

Governor Ben Ayade had announced Ndoma-Egba to lead the 5-man Committee appointment in his office in Calabar, saying it is devoid of party differences but due to the former senator’s respected statemanship and peaceful attribute.

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The age-long land disputes have been between Ebom/Ebiaghara and Ediba/Usumutong communities in Abi Local Government Area of the state.

Ayade frowned at the destruction and loss of lives in the four communities arising from land dispute.

He urged the committee to work assiduously and come up with recommendations that would bring lasting peace to the people of Ebom, Ebijaghara, Ediba and Usumutong communities.

The governor said he personally selected members of the committee based on their track record, and expressed confidence in their ability to deliver.

The governor noted that the amount of bloodshed in the skirmishes and destruction has reached an unacceptable limit.

He charged the committee to summon the four communities to a round table meeting.

“You have a duty to ensure that your committee performs its duty with dispatch. We are saddling you with a responsibility that is the biggest ever because you have a role to get all the four communities to sit together.”

Ayade urged the committee to explore the possibility of demarcating boundaries of the four communities and pledged to implement its recommendations including rehabilitating the people.

“Your white paper will determine the amount of houses to be built in these communities, water supply, rural electrification, solar installations.  All of this will form a product of your report”, Ayade said.

Senator Ndoma-Egba assured the governor that his committee would, by God’s grace, bring peace to the four communities.

“We will put our lives, our bodies, our blood and our souls into this assignment.

“I have carried out assignments locally, nationally and internationally, but I want to say on behalf of the members of my committee that this is our most important assignment bordering on peace and saving lives.   So I assure you that we will put our all in this assignment to succeed.”