A seven-man Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the boundary dispute between Oleh and Ozoro communities set up by the Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, had its inaugural public sitting with a call on both parties to note that conflict leads to poverty, hunger, and other social vices.
The Chairman of the panel, Justice Marcel Okoh, who made this point while declaring open the sitting of the Commission at Government House Asaba had in attendance representatives of Commissioner of Police, DSS, and the two warring communities he pleaded with them to give factual and objective evidence so as to help the commission achieve its mandate.
Oleh and Ozoro are sister communities both serve as headquarters of Isoko South and North respectively and have been in land dispute for decades after the creation of their councils.
To stop the crisis from escalating into a full-blown war, Governor Okowa had late last year inaugurated the justice Okoh seven-man Judicial Commission of Inquiry which just kicked off its sitting.
Secretary to the Judicial Commission, Angalere Prest-Umukoro prepared the minds of the representatives of both communities for quicker resolution of the crisis.
First witnesses of Oleh and Ozoro who happened to be head of personnel management of the two local governments took their oaths, testified, and were at the same time cross-examined by the counsels.
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Both traditional rulers of Oleh and Ozoro said the judicial commission is a welcome development.
The Commission which was given eight weeks to submit its report is to determine the remote cause of the conflict, identify the extent of claims of both parties, identify other efforts in settling the conflict and reasons for the failure and make appropriate recommendations to the government towards resolving the dispute.
Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe
