Abaribe Attributes Insecurity in South-east to Loss of Values Among Youths

Gideon Arinze in Enugu

The federal lawmaker representing Abia South senatorial district, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, has attributed the increasing wave of insecurity in the South-east region to the loss of values of respect for human life, love and unity among youths in the region.
The senator also advocated the revival of trade schools and trade certifications across the South-east to enable young people to be engaged and supported financially so they don’t constitute willing tools in the hands of criminals.
Abaribe made this known while delivering the keynote address yesterday at the South-east Youth Leadership Development and Value reorientation summit with the theme: ‘Southeast Youths for a Transformative Future’.
In his address, the senator said that  “we must go back to those values upon which our communities were built, that of love, unity, truthfulness and respect for human life if we must have the kind of future that we want.”
He said that the time had come for youths in the region to fight the criminals who have continued to disrupt economic activities in the guise of demanding for self actualisation.
“As young people, you must understand your values and not be recruited as tools for destruction,” he said. “We are concerned about the youths of today who must understand that the future is theirs.”

Earlier, the Director General of South-East Governors Forum and convener of the summit, Uche Ekwunife, said that the programme was necessary because youths have an important role to play in the growth and development of the region and the entire country.

“Our goal is to let the youths know that they can become the next generation of responsible leaders like Nnamdi Azikiwe, Alex Ekwueme and Dora Akunyili,” she said,  while also urging participants to reflect deeply on how they can harness their potential to effect positive change in their  communities.