By Alex Enebeli
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide and Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN) have lauded Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State for ending sit-at-home in the state.
The two organisations gave the commendation in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria NAN in Enugu on Friday.
NAN reports the governor had, on Thursday, declared an end to Monday’s sit-at-home in the state after meeting with heads of security agencies.
He had argued that the sit-at-home, usually being observed every Monday, had been restricting creativity, entrepreneurship and productivity in the state.
The governor also appealed to President Bola Tinubu to release the Leader of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, from detention to douse the accumulated tension in the South-East zone.
Reacting to the development, the National Publicity Secretary of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, lauded Mbah for the bold step he had taken to bring an end to the sit-at-home issue.
Ogbonnia also described the request for Kanu’s release as a good beginning for the governor, pointing out that his continuous incarceration was the real cause of the sit-at-home in the entire zone.
He urged residents of the state to comply with the directive, saying that it was not good that women and children were being killed and property destroyed over an issue that could be resolved amicably.
“We cannot take barrel of gun unto ourselves and be imposing unnecessary hardship on the people of the region.
“By complying with the directive, it will touch the lives and progress of the people and promote tourism in Enugu,” he Ogbonnia said.
According to Ogbonnia, the state’s ambience is supposed to be made attractive for businesses to continue to thrive in an atmosphere devoid of threat to peace and corporate existence.
“When there is insecurity, people will be scared and that may further increase their poverty level.
“So I am appealing to our youths to understand that we are not doing ourselves any good by sitting at home every Monday,” he said.
Also speaking, President of CRRAN, Mr Olu Omotayo, urged the governor to march his words with actions by ensuring that nothing happened to people when they begin to go out as from Monday.
Omotayo also enjoined the governor to strive hard to address the security challenge as well as the socio-economic development of the state. (NAN)
