The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Upstream Petroleum Sector, Senator Eteng Williams has appealed to his constituents to refrain from engaging in violent clashes, especially during the farming season.
The lawmaker, who represents Cross River Central Senatorial District, made the appeal while interacting with journalists in Calabar, the state capital.
He noted that the region, which is agrarian by nature, with farming as one of the main occupations of the people, is always prone to crisis especially during the farming season.
He, therefore, urged his constituents to eschew rancour and violence in the face of any disagreement and embrace dialogue, which according to him, is the best way to resolve any crisis.
Williams, who condemned the recent attack by kidnappers in Nde, a community in Ikom Local Council, sought constitutional role for traditional rulers to establish conflict resolution mechanisms .
He said this would help to check crime, maintain law and order in various communities across the country.
According to him, “The traditional Rulers have a key role and that is why some of us are advocating for an amendment to the constitution where we should have a role for traditional rulers.
“We need the traditional rulers to have a role constitutionally that will help in conflict resolution, because the best way of conflict resolution is when you nip it in the bud.
“They are leaders closest to the people at the grassroots, they know the boundaries of every community, they know everyone in their community, the bad ones and the good ones, so they can easily use the family heads to tame the youths who are normally the ones who orchestrate crisis and even avert any impending crisis”, he said.
He said in only six months at the National Assembly, apart from lawmaking, he has been able to attracted a number of developmental projects to the Central Senatorial district.
These he said includes the road from Adim to Ndigbe another road in Obubra across the river where they never had a road as well as the Ugep – Abomeghe, Ikom to Obudu road which are all captured in the 2024 Budget.
Others, he said include water projects schools renovation, solar lights that he has been able to capture in his very first budget, all to be executed this year.
He assured his constituents and the people of Cross River State of a more robust representation in 2024 and beyond as he is poised to attract more dividends of democracy to the state
He disclosed that a committee on the Turn Around Maintenance TAM of the oil refineries has been set up by the Senate as well as a committee to look into the issue of oil theft in the country.
The Mkpani-born lawmaker assured Nigerians of better days ahead as the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu- led government Renewed Hope agenda is doing everything possible to turn around the economic situation in the country.
