Akwa Ibom Wants More Constitutional Roles for Royal Fathers to Enforce Security

Okon Bassey in Uyo

Akwa Ibom State Government has said that the institutionalisation of more roles for the traditional rulers in the constitution would help to enforce security of lives and property in the country.

However, in order to check communal crises, the state government has directed all paramount rulers in the state to henceforth give periodic reports and security updates to the Office of the Deputy Governor on matters arising from land disputes and other crises in their various communities.

The Deputy Governor of the Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Moses Ekpo, gave the directive while addressing the people of Uko Akpan Enwang and Uko Ntighe Uda in Mbo Local Government Area where he said that the new policy is intended to bolster peace efforts in the state.

Ekpo, who spoke through the Permanent Secretary, Deputy Governor’s Office, Mr. Nkopuruk Ekaiko, stressed that given the present administration’s emphasis on industrialisation, every hand must be on deck to ensure that the state enjoyed the prevailing peaceful ambience to continually attract both local and foreign investors.

He said: “Henceforth, government will only take development projects to communities that are known to be peaceful and conducive to investment.”

He called on communities sharing common boundaries to inculcate the spirit of brotherhood and forge closer ties to engender lasting peace.

The Chairman of Mbo Local Government Area, Hon. Asuquo Eyoh, lauded the state government for its timely intervention in view of the new farming season.

He condemned the recent crises between two communities and stressed the need for better understanding and peace in order to engender development in the area.

He disclosed that the state House of Assembly and the state government had been working on a permanent solution to the crises.

The Paramount Ruler, HRM, Ofong Okon Abang, at the meeting invoked traditional injunction on the two warring communities to stay away from the parcel of land in contention and charged the youths of the area to avoid all manner of confrontations that could lead to a breakdown of law and order.

The state government also held separate meetings with the people of Oboyo Ikot Ita in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area and Afaha Ikot Osom in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area, who had engaged in a protracted boundary feud.

The deputy governor noted that the two council chairmen were critical to the resolution of the crises and charged them to be pro-active and fully engaged in the process to forestall a situation where the peace process is not sabotaged.

He further appealed to the traditional rulers to abhor inflammatory utterances that could derail the peace process and ignite crises while warning the youths to stay off all forms of criminality as it comes with severe repercussions from the law enforcement agencies.

The Paramount Ruler of Ibesikpo Asutan, Edidem Clement Francis Ekpenyong; the Village Head of Afaha Ikot Osom, Eteidung Walter Peter Usanga and his Oboyo Ikot Ita Counterpart, Eteidung Sunday Charlie Ukpong, were unanimous that efforts would be renewed in order to fast-track the peaceful resolution of the crises.