Okowa Tasks Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly On National Unity

From Ochei Matthew, Asaba
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has charged the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly (SNPA) to use the platform to promote the unity of the country.
The governor gave the charge while declaring open a 3-Day Meeting of the SNPA Elders Management Committee on Thursday in Asaba.
Okowa, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Labour and SERVICOM, Mr Mike Okeme, said that development could only thrive in a peaceful and secured atmosphere.
“You are here to deliberate and proffer solutions to some national issues. As you discuss, you should ensure that you represent the county in a positive light. You should also use this platform to keep Nigeria united,” he said.
Okowa lauded them for coming together from time to time to deliberate on issues concerning the country and encouraged them to come out with solutions such that would keep the country as one indivisible entity.
In an interview with some of the members, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, former governor of Anambra State, said that the meeting had become necessary to enable them contribute to the progress of the country.
Ezeife said: “We want to contribute to the progress of Nigeria and to encourage the President to pursue the anti-corruption fight vigorously and rigorously without any coloration and selective justice.We call for prayers for Mr President, for God to lead him aright on the part of economic progress, social and political, national security.
“This body is non-partisan, so what we are doing here is in the interest of the country because we are here to examine every aspect of the country’s economy.”
On his part, Sen. Roland Owie said that the assembly would be looking at national issues facing the nation.
His words: “We are looking at issues facing the nation, security matters, herdsmen attacks, the economy, future of democracy, anti-graft law among others. Nigeria belongs to all of us, we can’t run away from it and the unity of this nation is not negotiable.”
Owie, however, reject any proposal to set up ranches and grazing land for cattle owners, saying: “Why would you want ranches for businessmen who are private? Let those who are cattle rearers establish their ranches and sell their product to those who want to buy.”
Owie also decried the poor state of the economy, saying that money has been kept out of circulation in the past one year.
He said that the delay in signing this year’s budget was rather embarrassing and not in the best interest of the economy.
Also speaking, Sen. Kofo Bucknor-Akerele, former deputy governor of Lagos state, said that the meeting sought solutions for the numerous challenges facing the nation, particularly the massacre by alleged herdsmen.
She called for urgent action on the evasion by the herdsmen by the government before the situation gets out of hand.
The SNPA Coordinating Secretary, Dr Ifedi Okwenna, said that the organization started in 2012.
According to him, “we held our first meeting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom and later at Enugu, Lagos and today is our second meeting in Asaba. We were here in 2014. The elders are here to look at the state of the economy and to make its assessment of the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“We have watched him for almost one year now and there are burning national issues which the people need to look into and put minds together and come up with a position.
“We are here for the unity of Nigeria because we believe that we have to work together to achieve peace”.
He said that the meeting will raise a communiqué touching all the key issues in the country today, ranging from the economy to security issues.