Governors of the South-east zone on Sunday declared that the zone will not donate any of its lands for the purpose of ranching, lamenting the incessant farmers/herdsmen clashes in the zone.
Rising from a four-hour closed door meeting at the Government House in Enugu State, the governor's declared that they have noticed increased challenges in the movement of herdsmen from one state and region to another with the attendant clashes with farmers.
In a nine-point communique read to journalists at the end of the meeting by the chairman of the Governors' Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Dave Umahi, the governors expressed dismay over the huge sums of money they've been spending in settling farmers whose crops are destroyed.
They therefore requested for an emergency meeting in the zone with federal security chiefs, farmers and herdsmen in order to stop the movement and prevent the clashes.
"Let's make it clear that no land in the south east has been donated for ranching and the federal government has not asked us to do so either. We have not approved any land for ranching and we will never do so because we don't even have enough land in our zone for our use let alone for ranching," Umahi said.
While condemning the recent gruesome murder of innocent citizens in Plateau State, the governors joined other zones in demanding justice for the Plateau people and also commiserated with the sovernor of the state over the unfortunate development.
Umahi said the meeting which also had in attendance some other major stakeholders including the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, chairmen of traditional rulers from the five states of the zone as well as former Minister of Power, Prof Barth Nnaji among others received presentations from the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation on the vexed issue of restructuring.
While reiterating it's earlier stand that restructuring remained the only way forward for Nigeria, the governors resolved to take a studied look at the template of restructuring and will make it's final stand clear by its next meeting.
The forum also resolved the crisis in the Traditional Rulers' Council as it approved that the leadership would henceforth operate on a two-year rotational principle. Based on the arrangement, the forum declared that the incumbent chairman, Eze Eberechi Dick from Abia state will hand over to the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe with effect from August 1, 2018.
The Forum also approved a partnership between the governors and E-Health Africa for Health interventions and establishment of world class health facilities in all the states of the zone and accordingly set up a health consultative committee comprising the State Commissioners for Health in the various states of the zone, health experts and development partners to pursue health interventions in the area.
They also approved to support the setting up of an Industrial and Infrastructural Development Bank to fast track capital flow for rapid development of the region as a private initiative.
The Forum also offered to take responsibility for safeguarding the NNPC pipelines if they are engaged to do so in view of the briefing it received that repair works were ongoing at the Emene Depot.
Apart of Governor Umahi and Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Deputy Governors of Abia, Ude Oko-Chukwu and Anambra, Nkem Okeke, stood in for their states. Governor Rochas Okorocha was absent.
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