By Emma Amaize & Festus Ahon

ASABA—THE Ijaw and Itsekiri, yesterday in Asaba, Delta State, resolved their differences over the Gas City Project and appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to fix a date for the ground-breaking.

Rising from a peace parley convened by Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, the two ethnic nationalities resolved to make room for peace and ensure that the more than $16 billion Gas City project takes off successfully.

All issues resolved
Addressing newsmen shortly after the meeting, representatives of Gbaramatu, Ugborodo and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, commended Governor Uduaghan for the intervention and disclosed that all the issues involved had been resolved for the project to come on stream.

Mr. Austin Oboroegbeyi, who spoke on behalf of Ugborodo people said: “We agreed that the Gas Industrial City would be named after Ogidigben and the Deep Sea Port would be named after Gbaramatu. All parties agreed that because of the importance of the project the ground-breaking should be done as soon as the President and NNPC can work out a date. We also agreed to ensure peace within the area of the project so that the benefits can come to the communities.”

Chief Godspower Gbenekame who spoke on behalf of Gbaramatu people said: “We agreed that the Gas Industrial City would be at Ogidigben while the Deep Sea Port would be at Gbaramatu. When the President is ready for the ground-breaking, we are ready.”

The representative of the NNPC, Dr David Ige, Group Executive Director (Gas and Power), on his part, said: “We had an amicable meeting, the two communities agreed to make peace as a condition for the project.”

Naming hasn’t changed anything
Ige added that the naming of the project has not changed anything as it concerns the original concept, stating: “They are inter-dependent projects, everybody is ready for when Mr. President agrees to come for the ground-breaking ceremony. We also agreed to work together to make the project a huge success as its impact would not only be on Deltans but all Nigerians.”

Governor Uduaghan had stressed the importance of peaceful co-existence and collaboration between the Ijaw and Itsekiri in the area not just for the successful take-off of the project but for the security of all in the riverine areas of the state and the economy of the country.

Jonathan committed to peaceful co-existence
He said that the project was important not just to Nigerians but to the international community adding that President Jonathan was concerned and committed to peaceful co-existence and an economically buoyant nation.

According to him, the President had delayed the flag-off of the project for the host communities to settle their differences so that the project would not be stalled.

“Mr. President did not come for the ground-breaking earlier scheduled, not because he was afraid of being attacked but because he wanted the communities to resolve their differences so that nothing would stop the project after the ground breaking exercise.

“Mr. President is eager to perform the ground-breaking but what is more important is for the project to come to fruition without hindrance as that is the only way we, our grand children and the future generation can benefit from it,” he said.

Ayiri, others plan court action
Meanwhile, despite the resolution of disagreement between Ijaw and Itsekiri on the $16 billion Delta Gas City, yesterday, some Itsekiri natives have vowed to go to court over the naming of the Deep Sea Port.

Chairman of the Ogidigben EPZ Committee, Mr. Austin Oboroegbeyi and Ijaw leader, Chief Godspower Gbenekame, who addressed newsmen after the meeting, presided over by Governor Uduaghan, said the two ethnic groups agreed that the Gas City be named after Ogidigben and the Deep Sea Port named after Gbaramatu.

But some Itsekiri leaders, including, Chief Ayiri Emami, who was at the meeting, allegedly rejected the naming of the Deep Sea Port after Gbaramatu Kingdom and were said to be planning a court action against the NNPC and the Federal Government any time the name is officially proclaimed.