Lawmaker: Armed Robbery, Kidnapping, Bane of S'East Economy

Lawmaker: Armed Robbery, Kidnapping,  Bane of S'East Economy

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes and Senator representing Enugu North senatorial zone, Senator Chukwuka Utazi, has expressed fear over the high rate of kidnapping, banditry and other security challenges facing the south-east geo-political zone. 

Utazi said the problems were taking a serious toll on the economy of the zone, insisting that unless governors of the five states of the zone rose to the challenge, the situation could spiral out of hand before long. 

Delivering a 13-page lecture entitled “Nigeria and The Future of South-East Economy,” during the inauguration of the newly elected executive committee of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Enugu State Council in Enugu at the weekend, Senator Utazi expressed worries  that the insecurity problems in the zone could drive genuine investors away from the area, noting that “most of our people are afraid to visit home.”

The NUJ in the state recently held election where Comrade Rex Arum of Advocate Newspapers and Oliver Ossai of Radio Nigeria emerged as chairman and secretary respectively, while the Public Relations Officer of the State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC), Amaka Agbo and Uzoamaka Onwu of Radio Nigeria emergednas Treasurer and Financial Secretary also.

According to the lawmaker whose thought-provoking lecture elicited some reactions, although Diaspora remittance was a huge factor in the south-east economy, he regretted that when somebody was afraid of being kidnapped for ransom, or even killed if he returned home, “he stays away and the connections he has to his roots begin to fade away.”

He suggested a conscious policy to be put in place by the five south-east governments of Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo to develop the zone, emphasizing that the zone must develop adequately its real estate sector, manufacturing industry, railway and water ways transport sectors as means of growing its economy.

“We must have to build industry. Igbo man must change the attitude of building hotels because it’s a luxury service. We must have to bring back manufacturing industry. The south-east governors must take a decision to revive the Niger Cem at Nkalagu, Ebonyi State. If it’s revived, it will not only create job opportunities, it will also give us a sense of unity among the Igbos.