The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr Godfrey Enita, gave the commendation, while presenting a cheque of N24 million on behalf of IMC Oil Palm Plantation Limited operating in the community in Asaba.

The commissioner said that with the payment of the six years rent arrears owed the Nsukwa community by IMC, the lingering crisis had been put to an end and peace finally restored in the area.

According to Enita, the occasion of the cheque presentation is one of the several of efforts by the Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa led government to revamp oil palm production and utilisation in the state.

“In this direction, the governor has ensured that peace and tranquility is maintained among oil palm companies and the host communities.”

He said that only peace and harmony  would ensure growth and development in the oil palm industry to create wealth for the farmers and the teaming unemployed youths.

He recalled that oil palm had played a leading role in the economic lives of the people prior to the advent of crude oil, adding that it was significant as a foreign exchange earner in the sixties.

He said that Gov. Okowa’s administration had committed so much to revive the oil palm industry in both small and large scale production across the state, adding that its multipliers effects would be great in terms of food, jobs and wealth creation.

He, however, lauded the Chief Edwin Uzor peace and reconciliation committee for their efforts, the monarch, the youths of Nsukwa community and IMC plantation for toeing the part of peace.

“I want to commend the Nsukwa community for maintaining relative peace in spite of the backlog of rent owed by IMC from 2017 to 2021.

In their separate remarks, the Obi of Nsukwa, HRM , Dr Kenneth Ezegbunam, represented by Mr Emeka Okofu, said that it was difficult but the situation was managed to avoid dire consequences.

He expressed joy that peace has finally returned to his kingdom,  while thanking the governor and all stakeholders that engineered the peaceful settlement of the issue.

Also, the Public Relations Manager, IMC Plantation Limited, Mr Sebastien Olomu,  said, “today is an auspicious day because peace has finally returned to the community.

“If there is no peace in a business community, nobody enjoys doing their business. IMC has been praying for a day like this where all parties will come and agree for peace to return.

” These hiccups have dragged for more than six years from 2017 to date which resulted to the rent arrears of four million naira monthly to a total of N24 million for six years due the community.”

He also thanked all who made the peace move possible and realisable, particularly, “the monarch, youths wing and the OPC Oil Palm Company, who is our landlord and the state government.

Receiving the cheque on behalf of the community, the President General, Nsukwa Development Community, Pastor, Wisdom Mebele, thanked the state government and all for bring the year long crisis in the community to an end.