About Plateau State Government Boundary Commission
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Boundary determination between:
Mapping of the 17 LGAs and their Districts in Plateau State
Report to the deputy Governor on Demarcations Taken by Plateau State Boundary Commission on Bauchi-Plateau boundary Demarcation following the joint Meeting of Officials on 29th August, 2013 Held at Zaranda Hotel, Bauchi State and Related Matters
The joint meeting of Officials (JMO) ON THE Bauchi/Plateau interstate Boundary lines demarcation was held as scheduled in Bauchi on Thursday 29/8/13. Highlights of the report of the Joint Field Team were considered, indicating amongst others that:
After exhaustive deliberation, the meeting resolved as follows:
The copy of the said report/ communiqué has since been forwarded to the Office of the Deputy Governor, including the Interim Administrators of all the affected LGA’s on the Bauchi/Plateau border line, Commissioner of police in the State Command, and the Director, State security Services (SSS).
The affected LGA’s were further informed of a scheduled visit by the Commissioner, Plateau State Boundary Commission and his Officials, indicating time and date. The soe purpose of the visit was to sensitize the LGA Interim Administrators and other Stakeholders (particularly paramount rulers and the border line communities).
The visits were undertaken between 17/9/13 to 25/9/13, commencing from Jos-North LGA and terminating at Kanam. There were rescheduled visits to Mangu on 8/10/13, and another one to Jos-North on 29/10/13 (Report of this is hereby attached for ease of reference, please).
As was agreed upon at the last JMO held in Bauchi, a flag-off was organized for the Joint Field Team at Jos on 2/12/13. At this meeting, all the stakeholders made of the Joint Technical Team, Interim Administrators of the Borderline LGA’s, Paramount Traditional Rulers and other relevant Community Leaders were briefed/sensitized aot the actual field exercise that was soon to follow. The briefing was done by the representative of the Director-General, National Boundary Commission (NBC), Abuja.
The meeting concluded with the inauguration of the Joint Technical Team, which went into further discussion where it was agreed that the field exercise should commence. However, in view of the anticipated party primaries of the recently concluded Local Council Election in Plateau State, the field exercise was conclusively fixed to take off from 6/1/14, with the two camps for the surveyor to be at Toro (Bauchi State) and Pankshing (Plateau State).
The commissioner of the Plateau State Boundary Commission and his Officials, the Joint Technical Team, Interim Administrators of Jos-North and Jos-East LGA’s, along with their Officials were in Toro on the 6/1/2014 to formerly set up the first camp. This meeting was hosted by the Chairman of Toro LGA, and had in attendance Officials from Bauchi State Boundary Committee and Other Stakeholders.
At this meeting, details of the field exercise was further elucidated by the commissioner, Plateau State Boundary Commission, including the personnel that would accompany the field Team during the field exercise. The field exercise at the Toro Camp lasted through 7/1/2014-14/1/2014, thereafter the camp moved to Pankshin.
At Pankshinm again a sensitization meeting took place at the place of the Ngolon Ngas. In attendance were the Interim Adminstrators of Pankshin, Kanke and Kanam, while the Chairman of Tafawa Balewa LGA of Bauchi State represented by the Deputy Chairman and Officials of Bauchi State Boundary Committee were also in attendance.
The Commissioner, Plateau State Boundary Commission, who led his Team of Officials, briefed the Ngolong Ngas and all other stakeholders from both Bauchi and Plateau States on what was to follow in the coming days/weeks, concerning the Bauchi/Plateau Boundary Line Demarcation.
The field team was at the Pankshin camp from the 13/2/2014-20/1/2014. Thereafter the team returned to Toro from 20/1/2014- 23/1/2014, subsequently returning to Pankshin again when the field exercise between Bogoro/Kanke LGA’S was undertaken on 24/1/2014. Lastly the field team attempted the field exercise on the Kanam/Alkaleri sector, but this was inconclusive, thus leading to the closure of the camp.
The detail report to the field exercise is contained in the attached copy of the Tracing of Bauch-Plateau Interstate Boundary (Grey Areas). This report contains achievement, observation, annexure and suggestion. The suggestion: particularly note the need to commence immediate monumentation of agreed areas, pending the resolution to the outstanding grey areas.
Finally, the Plateau State Boundary Commission was in attendance at a meeting at the Jos-South LGC, on the dispute on Kuru, Gyel and Zawan Districts, on Kwata Village. The meeting was held on Tuesday, 21/1/2014 at the Local Government Council Chambers, at the instance of the authorities of the Jos-South LGC. This was in turn informed by the advice of the Commission IN VIEW OF THE INCESSANT COMPLAINTS RECEIVED FROM THE Communities on the status of Kwata Village.
The Commissioner, of the Plateau State Boundary Commission who was in the company of his Officials, briefed all the stakeholders about the lingering problem particularly revolving around Kwata. He went down memory lane explaining the various attempts to resolve the Boundary matter, beginning from the era of Mr. Rogers, around 1970/71, following the submission of the Vanderpuye report. This exercise was rejected by the disputing communities. So also was the attempt by Late Barnabas Dusu.
The commissioner mentioned that failure to resolve these issues have led to more complication as time went by. For instance there is still the lingering problem of the Police Staff College Site over which compensation has not been paid since 1975. Again, there was a farmland dispute in Kwata in the 1980s that led to avoidable bloodshed and even loss of lives.
Members of the disputing communities were thus advised to sheath their swords and allow reason to prevail so that these matters can be quickly resolved.
After a few remarks from the different section s of the communities in attendance (Paramount Traditional Rulers representing the Jos Joint Traditional Council and Districts in Disputes, representatives of Development Associations and Youth Groups), it was resolved to suspend the meeting for a rescheduled day to be communicated by the Jos South LGC. THIS SUSPENSION WAS Particularly in respect of the preparations for the burial of the former Deputy Governor of Plateau State, Da Michael Bot-Mang, and the recently concluded Local Council elections.
Further to the submission of Quarterly Reports, I hereby submit the fourth Quarter Report for period 1st October – 31st December 2014. Kindly be informed that several meetings were held with various communities that have boundary problems as follows:
