Okowa gave the advice yesterday in Asaba while receiving the report of the judicial panel of inquiry on the intra-communal crisis in Evwreni, Ughelli North local government area of the state. He said there was the need for communities to realize that there is no alternative to peace and any community that gets into trouble does not look at the future of its people because as long as there is trouble in any community, families are impacted negatively.

     The governor assured that the commission’s report would be processed to raise a White Paper that would permanently resolve the lingering crisis in the community. He commended the chairman and members of the panel for their painstaking effort in turning in their report on time, assuring that the government would continue to focus on peace-building in the state. Earlier, the chairman, Justice Michael Obi, while submitting the report, said the panel received 23 memoranda from parties involved in the dispute during the public hearings.

    He said the crisis in the community led to several deaths, massive destruction of property, displacement of persons, and almost crippled socio-cultural and economic activities. Obi disclosed that the panel came up with seven recommendations for consideration by the State Executive Council, which would help the state government to entrench sustainable peace and unity in the community. He thanked the governor for finding him and members of the panel worthy to serve and pointed out that the assignment afforded them a unique opportunity of ascertaining the possible causes and solutions to the intra-communal crisis in Evwreni.