The Federal Government is set to resolve the boundary dispute between Delta and Edo states, Director-General, National Boundary Commission, Dr Mohammed Ahmad, has said.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Resident Information Officer of the commission, Mr Kabir Bala, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

The director-general said that resolution of the dispute was part of effort to advance the definition and determination processes of boundary between both states.

He said that there was need for the two states to maintain peace and concord in their border communities prior to the conclusion of the exercise.

“Boundary dispute is not a do-or-die affair. The lines are not walls; they are only identified and drawn for administrative purposes.”

Ahmad said that a joint meeting of officials of Edo/Delta Interstate Boundary Committee was held in Asaba few months ago to deliberate on ways to resolve the dispute.

He said that the meeting deliberated on grey areas constituting challenges between both states.

According to him, the meeting resolved to continue the enlightenment and sensitisation of border communities through the involvement of traditional rulers, chairmen of local government areas and other stakeholders.

Ahmad said that the states would maintain ‘status quo’ pending final determination of their boundary by the commission, adding that field work on the grey areas would be undertaken from June 6 to July 22.

The statement said that Deputy Governor of Delta, Mr Kingsley Otuaro, in his remark said that the states were one and the same, notwithstanding the ‘artificial boundary’ between them.

Otuaro, however, called for urgent resolution of the boundary dispute to avoid unhealthy commotion between the border communities and the states.

Similarly, Deputy Governor of Edo, Mr Pius Egberanmwen, commended the resolve of boundary commission to settle the dispute.

Egberanmwen said that Edo would complement the efforts of the Federal Government by supporting and cooperating with the officials of the commission for the successful completion of the exercise. (NAN)

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