Reports have it that the Deputy Governor, Chief Bisis Egbeyemi, made the appeal at a meeting with stakeholders from Igbemo-Ekiti and Orun-Ekiti on one side and Osin-Ekiti and Ilupeju-Ekiti on the other side, on Saturday in Ado-Ekiti.

Egbeyemi said the projects would bring economic development to the communities, hence they should refrain from boundary conflict among them.

He said the airport project would benefit Igbemo and Orun while the power plant would benefit Osin and Ilupeju, hence the need for the affected communities to avoid boundary conflict, to reap the social and economic benefits of the key projects.

Stakeholders  from the communities were all represented at the peace meeting, including the Onigbemo of Igbemo-Ekiti, Oba Adewumi Daramola and the Olorun of Orun-Ekiti, Oba Joshua Osalusi.

Addressing the delegations, Egbeyemi, stressed that the land hosting the projects had been acquired by the government for developmental purposes, hence no individual or community could lay claim to it again.

While explaining that although some owners of economic trees on the land had been compensated, Egbeyemi assured that those yet to receive their compensation would be addressed in due course.

The Deputy Governor explained that officials from the State Boundary Commission and Bureau of Lands would  inspect the affected boundaries, to ascertain those who had been compensated.

He said the state government was only interested in commissioning projects capable of transforming lives and economies of the communities and  would not be happy seeing their relations strained by boundary crisis.

According to him, there is need for the people to support the government, to ensure the take-off of the projects to the benefit of the communities and avoid any rancour that could stall them.

“Igbemo and Orun are lucky to have the airport project located on their soil and the two Obas must ensure that peace reigns on your domains for the airport to commence operations without any problem.

“The project should not cause any crisis between the two towns. We want you to encourage your illustrious sons and daughters to leverage on the airport project by constructing warehouses to be used by those who will be bringing goods to the airport.

“When the airport becomes operational, businesses will be established along that axis, so we need peace to encourage investors to establish businesses along that corridor and it will be to your benefit.

“The 132 KVA Power Plant is a blessing to communities like Ilupeju, Itapa and Osin.

” We don’t want to hear that you are fighting there. Government has acquired the land in the interest of the people.

“Learn to live in peace together. It is our desire to come to your place and commission projects like industries, tertiary institutions and others and not to be settling crises,” Egbeyemi said.

He said Governor Fayemi would not relent in his efforts to ensure the speedy completion of the projects, but pleaded for communities in the state to allow peace to reign for development to be a reality.