The peace talk initiated by the Federal Government to
resolve the Soku/Oluasiri oil well dispute between Rivers and Bayelsa states
ended in a deadlock on Wednesday.
resolve the Soku/Oluasiri oil well dispute between Rivers and Bayelsa states
ended in a deadlock on Wednesday.
Following what it perceived as an injustice, the Rivers
State Government pulled out of the parley after openly accusing the Federal
Government of bias.
State Government pulled out of the parley after openly accusing the Federal
Government of bias.
The two states have been at daggers’ drawn over the
ownership of the oil wells located at the border communities of Oluasiri and
Soku.
ownership of the oil wells located at the border communities of Oluasiri and
Soku.
Following the verbal war that deepened the crisis, the
Federal Government, through the National Boundary Commission, had raised a
panel to resolve the matter that had generated bad blood between the two
states.
Federal Government, through the National Boundary Commission, had raised a
panel to resolve the matter that had generated bad blood between the two
states.
The Wednesday meeting, which was held at the Banquet Hall,
Yenagoa, at the instance of NBC, witnessed a joint meeting of officials on
Bayelsa/Rivers interstate boundary to discuss the report of the Joint Technical
Committee.
Yenagoa, at the instance of NBC, witnessed a joint meeting of officials on
Bayelsa/Rivers interstate boundary to discuss the report of the Joint Technical
Committee.
Before the Wednesday parley, the joint technical committee
had met on Tuesday in Yenagoa and harmonised a report that was signed by the
representatives of all the parties.
had met on Tuesday in Yenagoa and harmonised a report that was signed by the
representatives of all the parties.
But trouble started when the Rivers State delegation, led
by the state’s Deputy Governor, Mr. Tele Ikuru, jettisoned the report and
threatened to stage a walkout from the meeting.
by the state’s Deputy Governor, Mr. Tele Ikuru, jettisoned the report and
threatened to stage a walkout from the meeting.
He was, however, persuaded by the leader of Bayelsa State
delegation, Deputy Governor John Jonah, who insisted that both states should
find a way to resolve the matter.
delegation, Deputy Governor John Jonah, who insisted that both states should
find a way to resolve the matter.
Ikuru, in a paper that contained the position of his
state, accused the agencies of the Federal Government involved in the conflict
resolution, including the NBC, of being unjust.
state, accused the agencies of the Federal Government involved in the conflict
resolution, including the NBC, of being unjust.
Source: Punch
