Leadership (Abuja)
Golu Timothy
13 January 2009
Abuja — Two prominent personalities from Plateau State have called on President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and the Plateau State governor, Jonah David Jang, to agree on a proposal towards the immediate dissolution of Jos North and South council areas, as a way of achieving lasting peace in the area.
According to the duo of Miskam Jonah Mwangsat and Nde Gokir Jibem, the continued existence of the two councils," created by the Military', is responsible for the political restiveness in Jos metropolis, and that only a unified compromise that would satisfy both populations can bring about stability. Dung and Jibem stated this in separate interviews with our correspondent yesterday.
The two elders disclosed that the creation of the two councils in the first place was faulty because the indigenous population was not consulted, neither was it considered, but that the powers that be then, went ahead to announce the creation of the two councils out of the former single Jos council area.
"The truth must be told.Jos north and South were created by the fiat of the military without cognizance of the basic factors of fair allocation, representation, peace and equity. Those in power then favoured the other side of the population by the separation of the former Jos local government area. The indigenous people which of course include the Jarawa, Beroms and Anaguta were not part of the deal. They were sidelined in the affairs of their own areas and so they have a right to protest. Even if all of us are settlers, all of us should be fairly involved in running our affairs. The creation was lopsided and that is why we are having the crisis of today. People were forcefully placed in areas against their wishes and boundaries were demarcated without consultation. So the indigenous people feel cheated by what happened."
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