R-L: Vice Chancellor Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Joseph
Eberendu Ahaneku; Provost, Federal College of Education (Technical),
Umunze, Prof. Josephat Ogbuagu; Provost, Nwafor Orizu College of
Education, Nsugbe, Dr. (Mrs) Cordelia Ego Uzoezie and Rector Federal
Polytechnic, Oko, Prof Godwin Onu during the 2015 South East/Delta
States' Security Conference held at the Governor's Lodge, Amawbia
Date: 22nd August 2015
www.abuchionwumelu.com reports that the Regional Security Conference of the South East and Delta States has ended in the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia, with Governor Willie Obiano tasking his fellow Governors to join hands in wiping all forms of crime from the five states of the South East and Delta state.
The stakeholders resolved to give a death sentence to Boko Haram, kidnapping, violent armed robbery, child trafficking and other petty crimes that rob their states of a deserved peace of mind.
Four Governors of Abia state, Delta state and Enugu as well as the host state were in attendance while Ebonyi sent in a representatives but Imo state governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha shunned the security summit.
Inspector General of Police , IGP Solomon Arase led the interactive
session attended by stakeholders in South-East and Delta security.Date: 22nd August 2015
www.abuchionwumelu.com reports that the Regional Security Conference of the South East and Delta States has ended in the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia, with Governor Willie Obiano tasking his fellow Governors to join hands in wiping all forms of crime from the five states of the South East and Delta state.
The stakeholders resolved to give a death sentence to Boko Haram, kidnapping, violent armed robbery, child trafficking and other petty crimes that rob their states of a deserved peace of mind.
Four Governors of Abia state, Delta state and Enugu as well as the host state were in attendance while Ebonyi sent in a representatives but Imo state governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha shunned the security summit.
Governor Obiano in his speech charged South-East people to return investments home as their states are in squalor while they build other cities into mansions.
‘’Ladies and gentlemen, we have assembled here today to interrogate our circumstances; to ask ourselves hard questions and to set for ourselves a common agenda. The pertinent question we must ask ourselves is how long? How long shall the South East and Delta State and other contiguous states bear the brunt of brazen criminality and meaningless brigandage? How long shall our people’s well known enterprising spirit be driven away to nourish distant lands while our homeland wallows in squalor? How long shall we continue to fall to the barrel of a gun pointed at us by our own brothers, friends and kinsmen who are caught up in violent crimes?’’
Obiano further said : ‘’Fellow Nigerians, we must fight this war together, win it together and enjoy the economic and social benefits of victory together. We cannot afford the consequences of a prolonged failure in this regard in an emerging Nigeria with clearly demarcated regional economic blocks. From the concentration of businesses in specific locations in the country that, it is saddening to see that 55 years after independence, Nigeria has yet to make the expected leap out of the regional economies of the pre-and- post-independence era. It is indeed disheartening to note that our national economic planning has left some regions scratching for survival while others are in full bloom.
‘But there is no time to indulge in unproductive excuses or ring our hands in blame. If we cast a look backwards to where we are coming from, we shall remember that we have overcome greater adversities in our march to the present day. We shall also remember that any economic setback we have suffered as a people will take only time and planning to overcome. Indeed, we shall be better than our fathers. And the time to make that happen is now!
On an economic agenda for the South-East, Obiano said: ‘’....I must not fail to remind us that the time has come to set an Eastern Economic Agenda. The shrinking of spaces for migrant people across the country calls for a robust economic and social agenda that will make our people less vulnerable to increasing hostilities around the world. There is a strident call by History on every leader from this region which we cannot ignore. Posterity looks onto us to build a befitting economy for the South East and Delta State.
‘’And for us to even contemplate anything of that magnitude, we must first find a lasting solution to insecurity in the region. This all important Conference is therefore an economic call to arms. We must all rise to wage a successful war on insecurity as a precursor to economic prosperity and greater fulfilment.
The one day summit attracted people from all walks of life notable among whom were the Vice Chancellor Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Joseph Eberendu Ahaneku; Rector Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Prof Godwin Onu ;Provost, Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze, Prof. Josephat Ogbuagu; Provost, Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe, Dr. (Mrs) Cordelia Ego Uzoezie
APGA nat.Chairman, Chief Victor Oye; Senator Uche Ekwunife; Senator Stella Oduah among others