L-R Hon. Mark Hanmation, Barrister Pius Akutah, Hon. Emmanuel Udende, Hon. Mike Msuaan at the commissioning ceremony.
Tiv Youth Council World Wide has applauded the role played by a legal practitioner, Mr Pius Akutah in the resolution of crisis between Vandeikya and Ushongo communities of Benue State.
The group President, Mr Mike Msuaan noted that but for the timely intervention of Akutah, the crisis in the communities had a potential of consuming the two local governments and by extension the entire state and plunging the state into a humanitarian crisis with thousands of displaced people.
The group singled out the drilling of two boreholes separately at Tse-Yagba, Mkem, Tsambe and another in Tse – Yua in Mbaikyume, Mbagwaza District as pragmatic approach deployed by Akutah to resolve the crisis between the warring communities.
The group thereby called on other well meaning persons to emulate Akutah’s approach to crisis solving and management.
The group noted: “We write to extend commendations to Barr Pius Akutah for his pragmatic peace initiative aimed at entrenching permanent peace to the warring border communities of Tsambe in Vandeikya and Mbagwaza in Ushongo local government areas.
“The war between the two border communities over water had ravaged the communities and claimed several lives, destroyed properties, farms, and displaced thousands of people.
“While the crisis lingered, it defiled all solutions as efforts by the governments at the state, local governments and community efforts yielded no results.
“Barr. Pius Akutah has never held any political position, but his genuine concern for the peaceful co-existence of the two communities propelled him to consider the plight of the people and sink boreholes for two communities.
“This practical approach, away from the convention of drafting security personnel for peace keeping when lives and property are destroyed is novel and an entirely new chapter which looks at the root cause of crisis.
“While commending you for this feat we call on the communities to jealously protect the facility and make judicious use of the boreholes. Crisis does not serve any community any good.
“The people needed water and Akutah has provided it. Water is life and he who brings water, brings life. Akutah has brought life to the people of Tsambe and Mbagwaza.”
