Anambra, Enugu Deputy Governors Hold Closed-Door Meeting over Lingering Boundary Disputes

By Izunna Okafor, Awka

The Government of Anambra State, headed by Governor Chukwuma Soludo, and its Enugu counterpart, headed by Governor Peter Mbah, have moved to bring a perpetual end to the long-standing land boundary disputes rocking the two states.

Recall that the two states have two long-standing boundary disputes raging between them from the corners and edges of some communities therein, including the one between Awba-Ofemili in Anambra and Ibite-Olo in Enugu, as well as the one between Omasi in Anambra and Adani in Enugu State.

The two sister states, however, recently took a significant step towards resolving the long-tarried dispute that has raised dust and also sparked off a chain of reactions and counter-reactions in the past.

This reporter, Izunna Okafor, gathered that the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim; his Enugu State counterpart, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai, on Monday had a very crucial closed-door meeting at the latter’s office towards resolving the boundary tussles.

According to reports, also present during the closed-door meeting were the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Soludo on Boundary, Hon. Ekenechukwu Okoye; and the Secretary of the Enugu State Boundary Committee, Dr. Solomon Ejim.

While the outcome of the closed-door meeting is yet to be officially made known to the public, speculations abound that the deliberation was fruitful, with each of the two governments expressing their commitments to achieving a peaceful and lasting solution.

Grapevine sources also have it that the two Deputy Governors discussed structuring the most effective way to implement the outcome of the January 24th Joint Meeting of Officials (JMO) in Abuja and other issues of interest concerning boundary matters; even as the meeting believably resulted in an approval for a joint technical session between both states to facilitate the process of peaceful resolution of the dispute as soon as possible.

It would also be recalled that the Anambra State Government has also recently waded in to resolve the long-standing boundary dispute between the Amaetiti and Okpeze communities in the Orumba North Local Government Area of the State, among other peace-breeding missions it has executed or embarked upon in recent time.

More photos from the meeting:

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