Stakeholders Express Support for Ban on Sit-at-home in Enugu 

Gideon Arinze in Enugu state 

Stakeholders from different organisations, professional and religious bodies as well as heads of security and intelligence agencies, rose from a town-hall meeting in Enugu yesterday to support the decision of the Enugu State Government to ban sit-at-home.

In a communiqué by the Secretary to the State Government, Chidiebere Onyia, the stakeholders said the sit-at-home exercise, which lasted for over two years, was detrimental to productivity, investment flow, and the Igbo spirit of creativity,  entrepreneurship and commerce.

They however asked the state government to strengthen the internal security mechanisms, such as the community policing, Neighbourhood Watch, Forest Guards, amongst others, in the state while also urging the security agencies to work round the clock in order to reassure citizens and residents of their safety every day of the week. 

At the meeting, Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah said the state had lost a lot of money due to the sit-at-home syndrome.

He said: “If the sit at home continues, it will be difficult for his administration to hit the $30 billion gross domestic product (GDP) target it had during the campaign. We have proposed to grow our GDP from the current level of $4.4 billion to $30 billion. 

“That growth is going to come from the private sector. The private sector will not come to Enugu to establish their business if they know that we do not have five workdays, which is obtainable elsewhere.”

Also at the meeting, the Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Ammani urged residents to go about their lawful businesses as the heads of the security agencies had “galvanised the personnel, operational and intelligence resources of the agencies and deployed them towards ensuring adequate security and safety of the people. 

“We also commend Mbah for his efforts at restoring peace in the state, including his recent visit to the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu where he demanded the release of the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to expedite the process of national healing, national integration, and national reconciliation.”