By Our Correspondent
As part of effort towards finding a lasting peace and sustainable development in Ekpan Community and Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State land in general, a group under the aegis Ekpan Integrity Group (EIG) has stressed the need for all well meaning stakeholders in Uvwie Local Government Area and Ekpan Community in particular to rise up to the challenge and ensure that those responsible for fanning the embers of crisis are brought under the full weight of the law.
President of EIG, Pastor (Barr) Innocent Akpotedja-Adjenughure ,during his inaugural speech held in Warri at the weekend bemoaned the wanton loss of lives and property during crisis. This he said , has led to Ekpan Community almost becoming a ‘ghost land’ and investors leaving in droves.
According to him, “we can’t allow fear, intimidation, to keep us silent when evil is going on. We cannot be here and see the rate of arms proliferation, see the rate of crisis, conflicts, violence go on in Ekpan community and keep silent. We cannot fold our arms and see things crumble in our own time and generation”.
The group made up of Ekpan indegenes of like minds he said,was borne out of the burning desire to bring about peace ,sustainable development and sustainable security in Ekpan Community while working with law enforcement agencies and relevant stakeholders as well as government in restoring peace , sanity, pride and dignity of the community, adding that the era when evil perpetrators were allowed to go unpunished has passed.
“Any human being that takes the life of any member of Ekpan Community, must pay dearly for it.I can assure you that, we would mobilize resources, mobilize whatever it takes against any one that takes up arms against any one in this community. ..It is a passion for all of us”. He stressed.
Recalling with nostalgia, Pastor Innocent, who is also a lawyer said years ago, there was equity and justice, nobody needed to lobby or take up arms in other to get job opportunities, but rather, it was based on merit and slots allocated to each quarter in a most credible and transparent manner.
The Clergyman man noted that time has come for the noble men and women in Ekpan community to rise up and say ,no to the incessant and avoidable destruction of lives and properties.
He noted that the group will among other things, look at the remote and immediate causes of crisis in Ekpan Community with a view to profering solutions to the problems.
“When good men keep silent when evil is going on, they become part of the evil, so, good men will not keep quiet, they will talk out .” He said.
The Secretary of the group Comrade Ifie Prince said the group will collaborate in other government and other stakeholders to solve the problem of incessant crisis in the community.
The leader of the legislative arm of Uvwie Local Government , Hon. Glory Utuedor and th Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ekpan Police Station, Chris Sogara who was represented by DSP Monday Eghujovwo promised to collaborate with the group in other to bring lasting peace to Ekpan.
Some indigenes of Ekpan community, including Olorogun Daniel Igedo, Hon.Eyimofe Akemu and Comrade Harry Odafe pledged their loyalty to the group.
Also present were the Vice President of the group, Mr. Terry Moses, Secretary, Ifie Prince-Pere, Publicity Secretary, Orumeji Kingsley and Mobilizer, Steven.
