The Senator representing Cross River Central in the National Assembly, Senator Eteng Williams, has appealed to his constituents to shun every form of violent clash in this year’s farming season that is around the corner.
The senator admitted that for most of the planting season, there was sectarian conflict over farmland and that simple dialogue can resolve the disputes that led to the conflict.
Speaking to our correspondent, Senator Eteng said dialogue was the only option as he condemned the attacks on the Ndi community in Ikom local government and called on security agencies to redouble their efforts to bring those responsible for the attacks to justice, disclosing that at least two people were killed and many more were adopted.
The senator also argued for a specific constitutional role for traditional rulers. According to him, that will help resolve conflicts in various communities across the country.
Senator Williams, who is the immediate past Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly and the current Senate committee chairman on Upstream Petroleum sector, said “The traditional Rulers have a key role and that is why some of us are proposing an amendment to the constitution where we should have a role for traditional Rulers.
He said, “We need the traditional Rulers to have a role constitutionally that will help in conflict resolution. The best way of conflict resolution is when you nip it in the bud.
“Sometimes you start from the family and you know that our traditional Rulers should have a role and we know ourselves when we talk about our community.
“Every community knows themselves, we know the bad ones and the good ones. They will call the family head and say come, they can be tamed”, he said.
Senator Williams advised the warring communities to use dialogue to resolve disputes, describing it as the only option.
He assured his constituents that there would be good representation in 2024 and added that he had so far attracted several development projects to the Central Senatorial District.
He promised to implement all the projects included in his first budget this year.
Senator Eteng revealed that the breakthrough in refinery maintenance this time is realistic and that the Senate is also looking into the issue of oil theft domestically with a commitment to nip similar situations in the bud.
. TheWitness
