Youth wing of Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has called on South East governors to engage youths in the 95 local government areas of the zone to successfully check the activities of killer herdsmen in the axis.
In a statement signed by the National President, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro and the Secretary General, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, the group said the governorsโ position on the suspended Ruga Settlement Programme has opened new opportunities for Igbo to prove their business ingenuity in cattle rearing, rice production, among others.
The statement reads in part: โWe urge the governors to immediately open up new farm settlements across the states to serve as Joint South East Youth Empowerment Programme for our unemployed youths.
We urge our businessmen to create opportunities for the youths through the establishment of farm settlements in their areas. Very soon Ndigbo will overtake the northern herdsmen in cattle business.
โThe South East governors have achieved a rare feat through their decisive plan to checkmate the nefarious activities of killer herdsmen and ensuring safety on our major highways through the establishment of Community Policing Programme and Forest Guards.
We insist that locally based community youths should be engaged adequately to fish out any herdsmen flouting the recent ban on conveyance of cattle on foot by the governors.
This new policy will make South East a safe haven for investors. Igbo youths can be vigilant enough to engage erring pastoralists across 95 LGAs in the South East. โSouth East Development Commission will accelerate the delivery of dividends of democracy in the South East and we insists that all the stakeholders in this project be adequately monitored to ensure that itโs achieved soonest.โ
He added: โWe observed that the South East governorsโ meeting excluded some Igbo leaders and other stakeholders from their activities and deliberations, and we understood the action was a disciplinary measure over careless outbursts by the leaders in the build up to the general elections.
The affected leaders should openly apologise to the governors for jeopardizing the second term bids of some of them when they put them on headlong collisions with the Presidency. โWe urge the governors not be distracted by the campaign of calumny against them by these leaders and but move forward to secure the South East economically and beef up security across the zone.
The affected leaders should never should them be supported through monthly donation or included in their meetings until they do the needful.
