The Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, on Wednesday inaugurated the Edo Boundary Committee with a charge to address intra and inter-local government boundary disputes in the state.
Obaseki said that the state would no longer allow boundary disputes to degenerate to conflicts that affect economic activities in the state.
He explained that despite his administration’s efforts to get the support of the National Boundary Commission to tackle intra and inter-state boundary disputes, “unfortunately we have not had the desired response and the matters are not treated with the required urgency.”
He said that the longer the disputes were left unresolved, the more lives and property would be lost, hence the need for the state to set up its own boundary committee in accordance with the National Boundary Committee Establishment Act of 2006.
“We have several boundary issues within communities in the state and between communities in several local governments. We had to intervene in a boundary dispute between a company we gave land for agricultural purpose and some members of some communities in our neighbouring state, who went to court to get a restraining order against the company.
“We want to be able to utilise our land asset without any issues,” Obaseki stressed.
The governor said the committee would also liaise with similar committees in neighbouring states with a view to working together to promote good intra-communal relationship.
The Deputy Governor of the state, Rt. Hon. Philip Shiabu, who is the Chairman of the Committee, thanked the governor for finding them worthy for the task, and assured that the committee would discharge its duties diligently.
