Governors of South-East states should unite to restore the region’s lost peaceful and thriving economic glory.
The chairman of the Trade Union Congress, Enugu State, Comrade Ben Asogwa, stated this on Friday during a programme in Enugu.
Asogwa was reacting to the outcome of the meeting of the Southeast Governors’ Forum held in Enugu yesterday.
The meeting, attended by governors of Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi, Imo and Anambra, resolved forming a common front of the governors to fight insecurity in the region. The meeting also proposed an economic summit for the region aimed at restoring the dwindling economic fortunes of the zone.
Asogwa said, “Coming together of the governors is a good development. For the first time, they came in persons. They need to have a common agenda on security because what affects one side also affects the other. I advise them to engage security agencies to be more proactive, but above all, task the security agencies not to be high-handed in tackling the insecurity in South-East to avoid inflicting pains on innocent people.
“It’s a pity that the hitherto peaceful South-East has become something else. Our neighbourhood watch security structures should also be made more effective so they can assist conventional security operatives.”
On the proposed economic summit by the governors, Asogwa said, “Their actions should speak louder than words. South-East is becoming retrogressive. Our enterprising youths are gradually embracing ‘yahoo yahoo’ and rituals to make money instead of being industrious. They should also look into why our youths are dropping out of school and also leaving apprenticeship.”
Our correspondent reported that sit-at-home orders in South East took the centre stage, with the governors identifying that the enforcers of the orders ‘are not the genuine agitators for Igbo emancipation’, but ‘common criminals’.
