CLOs’ Appointment: ‘Contradictory Directives By Two Aides Of Governor Okowa Reportedly Threaten Peace In Ekpan’

There is palpable tension in Ekpan community in Uvwie Local Government Area over a purported contradictory directives made by two aides of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa concerning appointment of Community Liaison Officers (CLOs) for companies operating in Ekpan.

BIGPENNGR understands the development stemmed from directives given by Special Advisor to Governor Okowa on Peace Building and Conflict Resolution, Chief Edwin Uzor and Director General, Security Matter/Coordinator Operation Delta Hawk, Hon David Tonwe over appointment of some youths as CLOs in Ekpan.

In an open letter to Governor Okowa signed by Akemu Eyimofe Louis and Ejarune Sylvester, the Ekpan people stated that a counter letter of directives from one of the governor’s aide after the community leadership had issued letters of appointment to the Community Liaison Officers (CLO’s) and Community Relation Committee (CRC’s), was threatening the relative peace in the community.

They affirmed that the power to appoint community liaison officers (CLO) and community relations committee resides with the leadership of Ekpan community through the Unuevworo of the various quarter in consonance with the EDC chairman led by Innocent Adjenugure, a lawyer and not any of the governor’s aides.

The letter reads in full: “We wish to draw the attention of the Delta State Governor, Dr. Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa to the activities of some department within the governor’s office (OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL ADVISOR TO THE GOVERNOR ON PEACE BUILDING AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR GENERAL SECURITY MATTERS

How these departments have been issuing directives to Ekpan community and are capable of breaching law and order.

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It might interest you to know that THE OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL ADVISOR TO THE GOVERNOR OF PEACE BUILDING AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION issued a memo dated 27th January 2020 Ref DTGH/PB & CR/315/104 subject matter:- REPORT OF THE INTERVENTION OF MY OFFICE IN THE CRISIS IN EKPAN COMMUNITY, UVWIE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF DELTA STATE OVER COMMUNITY LIAISON OFFICERES (CLOS) AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE (CRC) MEMBERS AND SIGNED BY CHIEF EDWIN UZOR (JP) – SPECIAL ADVISOR ON PEACE BUILDING AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION ANNEX 1

The report recommended 4 point that will bring the desired peace in Ekpan community

• The Ekpan development committee (EDC) under the leadership of Barrister Innocent Adjenugure must endeavour to work in line with the dictate of the traditional council

• The current community liaison officers (C.L.O) and community relations committee(CRC) members have served long enough and are given up till 30th September 2020 to wind up their activities and accordingly, vacate office on the date 39th September 2020. Within this period, the community should appoint replacement for them through the Unuevworo of the various quarter in consonance with the EDC chairman.

• Ekpan development committee(EDC) must give quarterly reports of its activities to the community through the various heads of the traditional administrative structures, which is the Unuevworo

• For the avoidance of doubt, our tentative decision of July 2015, in respect of this matter can no longer hold and accordingly, stands vacated – this is to engender the reign of peace on the community.

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The community leadership acting in line with the recommendation of the state government compiled a list of new community liaison officers (CLO) and community relations committee (CRC) and sent to THE SPECIAL ADVISOR TO THE GOVERNOR ON PEACE BUILDING AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION through HRM EMMANUEL E. SIDESO ABE I JP, OON, the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom dated 9th October 2020 with ref no OUK/2020/10/06. Annex 2

In return THE OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL ADVISOR TO THE GOVERNOR ON PEACE BUILDING AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION cleared all community nominee through letter dated 21th October 2020 and REF DTGH/PB&CR/260/10; this was signed by chief Edwin Uzor. Annex 3.

The community leadership thereafter issued letters of appointment to the Community Liaison Officers (CLO’s), & Community Relation Committee (CRC’s) members; and sent to various companies within the community.

It’s unbelievable that another arm of the same government (OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL SECURITY MATTERS) is issuing another directive to the community on the same issue that the same government have cleared. See Annex 4

This action of THE DIRECTOR GENERAL SECURITY MATTERS is capable of breaching law and order in the community.

Also we will like to state clearly that:

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(1) The power to appoint community liaison officers (CLO) and community relations committee resides with THE LEADERSHIP OF EKPAN COMMUNITY as stated in Chief Edwin Uzor’s report.

(2) The community in the first instance recommended these old community Liaison officers to these various companies for 3 years, which had since expired in the 7 years.

(3) There is no communal crisis in Ekpan community as a result of the change of community Liaison officers and Community Relations Committee members as they have all resumed in their various companies.

(4) The letter mentioned in annexure 4 is not only an insult to the Ekpan community and Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, but also to the government of Delta state, portraying it as an unorganised government where any disgruntled element can procure a letter to pursue his/her inordinate objection.

We are therefore using this medium to appeal to the Executive Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa to allow the leadership of Ekpan community to enforce the recommendations of the Chief Edwin Uzor’s report to ensure sustainable peace in the community”, the letter said.

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