Ohanaeze youth wing backs creation of Anioma state

…says energy crisis caused by failure successive administrations

By Jude Opara, Abuja

The Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Youth Wing Worldwide after its 52nd Extraordinary National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting yesterday in Abuja said it is backing the proposed creation of an additional state for the South East region, saying such would go a long way in assuaging the people of the area who feel marginalized with only five states while others have six and seven states.
Briefing the newsmen after the meeting, the National Youth Leader of the group, Mazi Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu said the clamour for the creation of the state in the region is proper, adding that they have after due consultations favoured the creation of Anioma state.
Okpalaezeukwu added that the Ohanaeze Youth Wing believes that the Anioma state has been favoured by most stakeholders because by most standards, including geographical delineations is the best for the proposed state.
“The ongoing agitation for an additional State in the Southeast is not only commendable, but also timely and unavoidable, if Nigeria must be seen as a nation that believes in equity. We commend the various interest groups and legislators who have made varying recommendations on geographical delineation, name and composition of the proposed Sixth State in the Southeast.
“However, after extensive consultations, deliberations and investigations, we wish to urge every stakeholder who believes in the progress and development of Igbo land, to align themselves with the Anioma State project, as it remains the most viable, most equitable and most unifying option at this time.
“In that regard, we have set up a powerful lobby group to join forces with other like minds, to facilitate the actualization of this additional State in the South East, Anioma, by reaching out to other stakeholders across Nigeria. As the apex youth leadership q in the entire Igbo land, we shall spare no cost in ensuring the success of this idea, whose time is now”.
The apex Igbo youth group equally weighed in on the lingering energy crisis in the country saying that after a meeting with the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, it was convinced that the federal government was doing enough to ease the economic challenges facing the people.
“We have had a fruitful deliberation with the Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources, Distinguished Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and his team where we have expressed concerns and emphasized on the need for continuous and unrelenting reforms of the petroleum sector with policies that benefit the ordinary people and improve the overall well-being of Nigeria economy.
“We acknowledge the challenges inherent in the removal of subsidy and the impact of infrastructural deficiencies in the sector, and we are very proud of the uncommon achievements recorded so far by the Tinubu led administration ranging from increase in Crude Oil production from 1mbpd to 1.7mbpd, engagement and enhancement of investors and investments respectively, technology adoption, infrastructure development and other critical factors that positively impact the economy.