Herdsmen crisis: South East govs to fund cattle rearing, set up forest guards, others

Governors of the South East zone have resolved to establish forest guards to tackle issues of insecurity in the zone and to compliment community policing programme of the Federal Government.

The governors disclosed this in a communique at the end of their meeting in Enugu on Sunday. They also restated their position that there was no land for RUGA settlement in the zone.

The governors,  however, decided on raising funds to support cattle rearing and other agricultural ventures in the zone.

Chairman of the South East Governors Forum (SEGF) and Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. Dave Umahi who read the communique at end of the meeting, said the Forum also resolved to clear up to 50 meters into bushes along roads in their localities to have clear views of roads ahead as another strategy to combat insecurity.

Umahi said the Forum equally agreed to address safety of fuel pipeline route to the NNPC depot in Enugu to ensure that pumping of petroleum products resume at the depot in the shortest possible time.

He commended Enugu governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for his interventions to ensure that Akanu Ibiam International is upgraded to acceptable standard, but regretted that the airport’s runway has become deplorable, while asking the Federal Government to intervene.

“We are highly concerned about the deplorable state of the airport runway and we plead with the federal government to consider our numerous requests in reconstructing the runway to enhance the safety of our people,” Umahi said.

He noted that the zone has abundant oil and gas deposits that are yet to be explored and called on the federal government to do so.

“The Forum noted that Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi states have abundant oil and gas reserves which have not been fully explored.

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“The Forum, therefore, call on the federal government to show more commitment and commence intensive exploration and development of oil and gas resources in these states of the South East.”

He further disclosed that they were working on distribution of gas pipelines in the zone through the Nigeria gas company; as well as it is considering security proposal from Motorola company limited.

The forum also called on the Federal Government to make more meaningful intervention on Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, while commending the government on the progress of Second Niger Bridge.