The chairman, South East Governors Forum, Gov. David Umahi, has revealed that the zone will inaugurate a joint security outfit soon.
Umahi, Governor of Ebonyi state, on Sunday said this in Abakaliki, after a virtual meeting with other governors and Igbo leaders from the zone.
He said that the forum would publicly announce the name of the security outfit in their next meeting. Afterwards Attorney General of the different South East states would put finishing touches to the law establishing the outfit and forward same to the States Houses of Assembly for an act establishing the security outfit.
He explained that the necessary arrangements for the smooth take off of the security outfit was on course.
Governor Umahi also revealed that the forum directed the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Nnia Nwodo, to wade into the media fight between Prince Arthur Eze and Senator Pius Anyim and appealed to the duo to cease fire and give peace a chance.
They also passed vote of confidence on the President of Ohanaeze, and all the national assembly members from the zone.
The forum also commended President Buhari for the second Niger Bridge, expressing confidence that the project would be completed in July 2022 as promised.
“‘The meeting passed vote of confidence on the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the National Assembly members of South East, the Governors of South East for their effort in handling security matters and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We discussed about the Eastern corridor which is the railway Eastern corridor passing from Porth-Harcourt to Southeast, to North Central and to the North East that is Benue. We discovered that there is no real funding available for this programme and we agreed to collaborate with the Governors of South East, North Central and North East to dialogue with the federal government to see that this project is inaugurated.
“It is an existing railway line and it is to repair the terminals and to rebuild some of them that collapsed. And this is very important to our people. Before now, people used to travel to Porth-Harcout, to Enugu, to Makurdi, to Maiduguri and we want to see that this programme is resuscitated and funded.
“On the second Niger Bridge, we commend Mr. President very highly. The project is on course and we are told that by July 2022, they will hand over the project. The bridge is quite progressing very well, there is also an adjoining 44km of road and the project is funded by the federal government. So, we are very hopeful that this project will be realized under Mr. President” he added.
