Delta State Government has assured the National Boundary Commission of its full backing on their physical verification exercise in the Egbema kingdom in Warri North Local Government Area, and Odimodi kingdom in Burutu Local Government Areas.
The State Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme gave the assurance on Thursday when he played host to officials of the National Boundary Commission, who are in Delta State on an advocacy visit.
Sir Onyeme, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Kingsley Emu commended the commission for its swift response to ensure the correction of the observed omission of some communities in Egbema and Odimodi kingdoms, with respect to the publication of 18th March, 2024 of littoral communities in the various states in the 1st schedule to the Federal Republic of Nigeria official gazette No.48, Volume iii, Government Notice 8 in line with the provisions of the petroleum Industry Act, 2021.
The deputy governor stated that the State placed a high premium on the verification exercise as it was centered on the promotion of peace and security, which was one of the cardinal points of the MORE Agenda of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori administration.
He noted that there could not be any form of sustainable development in the absence of peace and security and called on the officials of the National Boundary Commission to accord the exercise the seriousness it deserved by ensuring that all the communities are captured.
Sir Onyeme emphasized that after the capturing, the communities should be gazetted as host communities,which would qualify them to benefit from the provision of the Nigeria upstream petroleum Host communities Development Regulation, 2022.
The deputy governor equally noted that the visit would afford the state the opportunity to evaluate the level of progress made by the Commission on various inter-state boundary disputes before it.
He listed the areas to include the Delta and Ondo states boundary dispute at (Opuama-Atilabo) Polobubo (Isekelewu) and Okirigbo communities of Egbema kingdom, in Warri North Local Government Area, Delta and Edo States boundary dispute in Ukwuani Local Government Area in Obiaruku and Umutu axis the Delta and Edo States boundary dispute (affecting Ethiope West local government area in Jesse and Oghara axis) and the Delta and Edo State boundary dispute ( affecting Aniocha North LGA, in Ugbodu Community ).
Earlier, the Director-General of the National Boundary Commission, Surveyor Adamu Adaji stated that the team was in the state to continue the exercise in line with the implementation of the Nigerian upstream Petroleum Host Communities Development Regulations 2022.
Surveyor Adaji who was represented by the Director of Maritime Boundaries in the Commission,Surveyor Nurudeen Abba, explained that the exercise was necessary following the initial verification conducted by the commission in April 2023 to identify communities within a 500-metre buffer along the Delta State coastline in the Gulf of Guinea,which was later gazetted.
He noted, however, that the commission and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory commission (NUPRC) had received numerous complaints from communities that felt overlooked and excluded from the gazetted list.
Surveyor Adaji called for collaboration with the state boundary committee to lead the federal team in engaging with local communities, by ensuring a smooth and peaceful verification exercise.
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