From Nwogha Ndubuisi, Abakaliki
Cross River state government has reiterated its commitment to collaborate with members of Ebonyi and Cross River states Youth Peace Development Movement for sustenance of peace at the border communities of both states.
The deputy governor of cross River state, Peter Odey made the remarks when the team paid him peace and security advocacy visit at Government House, Calabar recently.
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Odey commended members of the movement for their proactive steps in ensuring that total peace and tranquility are achieved at the border communities of both states and described peace as the engine that drives development in any given society.
The state deputy governor encouraged other youths across the country to emulate the team who took it upon themselves to remain one united family inspite of many challenges.
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He chronicled his experience when he was the leader of the state assembly with Gov Francis Nwifuru as speaker of Ebonyi House of Assembly as they waded into the crisis and thanked the group for their achievement so far especially the success story as there have been no shooting or lost of life within the forty-eight border communities of the two sister states.
He pledged that the state government would inculcate the group in helping to find lasting solution to incessant killings and communal rifts within Cross River state especially the ongoing war between Ijegu-Yachi community of Yala and their Tiv neighbour in Konshisha local government area of Benue state which have claimed lives and property worths million of naira destroyed.
Earlier, the national president Cross River and Ebonyi State Youths Peace Development Movement, Pascal Nwenyi said that they were in the office to congratulate the deputy governor on his new position and to inform the state government of the positive activities of the movement within the riverine border communities of both states.
He appreciated stakeholders of both states for their efforts in actualizing the dream of fostering peace in the former crisis ridden areas and enumerated some of their achievements to include the attraction of eight open shop from the federal government at Achacha Igbeagu which both communities are currently sale their produce.
Corroborating Nwezenyi, the permanent Secretary Ministry of Power Ebonyi State, Chukwuka Ojeogu and former member, House of Representatives for Obubra and Etung federal constituency of Cross River state,Ernest Ireki thanked the deputy governor for the warm reception accorded them and pledged to continue preaching peace at various communities.
The Deputy governor was accompanied by the Deputy Chief of Staff, Dr Chris Ojukpo, Director Cross River state Conflict Resolution, Tina Araku, while Pascal Nwenyi used the event to handover a communique reached by the movemement with federal government to the deputy governor.
