A socio-cultural group, the Igbo Renaissance Forum (IRF), has condemned the South East Governors Forum on the mediocre and lack-luster way it has handled the affairs of the region and the relationship with the people.

The group, which took a concerned look at many areas ranging from the recent teleconferencing meeting held by the governors, security implications, the Coronavirus pandemic, the controversial palliatives, agriculture, the Akanu Ibiam International Airport and post-COVID-19 among others, expressed its dissatisfaction with the performance of the Governors while suggesting better ways to escape the quagmire.

In a lengthy letter to the Governors titled: ‘2nd Open Letter To The South East Governors; South East Governors' Forum Communiqué And How Not To Address A People In War Time,’and signed by its International Coordinator, Nze Ugo-Akpe Onwuka (Oyi), the group highlighted its grievances.

“Just as the communiqué which you issued on May 14, 2020 started by sending compliments to those that are unprotected and at risk, we also want to send compliments to you Sirs, for the uncomplimentary actions and inaction in the face of existential threats to our Homeland.

“We wish to express our disappointment at your inability to rise to the challenges of the time as ‘leaders’ at a time that leadership is sorely needed in Ala Igbo. We shall restrict our message on this occasion to the Communiqué you issued, dated 14/05/2020, in which you addressed your citizens with veiled contempt.

“We shall try as much as possible to continue making suggestions towards a better Ala Igbo as we have done in the past in the first open letter to Your Excellencies, titled, ‘COVID - 19 Nationwide Lockdown, The Coming Crises And How The South East Can Be Secured’ published on April 27, 2020.

“Kindly view our opinion here as that of your concerned citizens, and be objectively disposed while reading it. In the same vein, we advise that your Excellencies expeditiously do away with the retinue of sycophants around your office as they are the major reason your performances are currently viewed as not up to expectation by those you are leading.

“We are concerned very much with your personal security and in extension that of the state and its citizens. We know for a fact that teleconferences are not completely safe from prying eyes and ears of those who are adept at modern subversive technology in the world we live in today. More worrying is the fact that you confirmed that other Igbo leaders participated in the meeting from wherever they were, leaving room for a third-party infiltration of the meeting. It is unfortunately factual that peradventure Your Excellencies deliberated on far reaching security issues in the meeting, there is a 50/50 chance of your deliberations being monitored and that is obviously a dangerous situation, considering the current security issues that are facing the South of Nigeria with the daily arrests of able-bodied men that mischievous individuals have unfortunately chosen to christen Almajiri into the region during a lockdown period, for which no one is giving explanations.

“On the other hand, we are scared that if Your Excellencies considered the obvious security loopholes in the technology used for the conference, you would be very circumspect in discussing certain detailed security issues during the meeting. Maybe that is why there was no clear statement on the action for improved security within the region on your communiqué.”

IRF said while it appreciated the efforts of the committee on COVID in providing cushioning for the suffering masses across the nation at this very difficult time of economic shock, it expected to hear from the governors on a wide range of issues that has to do with palliatives as it affects the South East states, but that was not mentioned for reasons it could not fathom.

“It was in the news that some states of the federation made assertion that the rice supplied as part of palliatives was not fit for human consumption and same rejected and returned to the Federal Government by these states. We are surprised that such an important issue was left out of the communiqué, or maybe it was not even discussed at all.

“Citizens would love to know how many states of the South East got the consignment of the palliative rice from the Federal Government. Of the states that got the consignments of the rice from the Federal Government, how many tested it to confirm that it is not the same batch that was rejected in other states before distribution and subsequent consumption by the citizens?

“It is pertinent to note that the citizens are worried and confused at this time with all manner of information and actions flying around, and aptly deserve to be addressed by their leaders on such matters that can affect life and wellbeing.

“We expected that such a communiqué at this time would go into great details to give first-hand information and calm the nerves of your troubled citizens, but unfortunately, it did not come close to doing this.”

The group said that although it read from the communiqué that the governors reviewed the current lockdown order within the interstate borders and agreed to strengthen it further with new measures, it however did not see these measures outlined in the communiqué as should have been, to at least assure citizens that actions are in the works.

“Just like Your Excellencies, well-meaning Nigerians are also very unhappy with incidents of interstate border lockdown abuses that have led to the movement of non-essential movement of persons and the importation of COVID-19 and strange fellows smuggled under the guise of either cement supplies or food supplies from the North. Since you only made a REQUEST that the security personnel at our border posts take this task very seriously to curtail the spreading of the pandemic, we would suggest that you consider the psychological effect of citizens having this crushing feeling that nothing is seriously being done about their security.

“It would have been soothing to read Your Excellencies outline the actions that you are taking to ensure that the security agencies who allow these lockdown order to be broken are propped up to deliver on their duty and commensurate punishment handed down to those security operatives who compromise our Homeland security.

“We expected to read that Your Excellencies have written a very strong worded letter to the hierarchy of the security agencies charged with enforcing the interstate border lockdown to put their men in check. It is such action when conveyed to the masses that gives hope to your citizens that SERIOUS EFFORTS are being made to protect us from obvious invasion.

“In this instance ultimately, instead of taking responsibility and stamping your authority, you have chosen to pass the responsibility to others who might not have the same agenda as you as have been proven by the records to which you attest to.”

On security, the group said it noted with bewilderment the expression of mere worries by the governors about the movement of people they referred to as Almajiri youths concealed in food and cement trucks into the Southeast region and expressed shock that the governors were referring to able-bodied men without any clear skill sets or mission into the Southeast homeland as Almajar, while asking: “Is it until these invading strange fellows ramp up attacks on our homeland that you would address them as who they are?

“As concerned citizens, we are very bothered that in looking at preserving the lives of your citizens, this aspect that could undermine your efforts at prevention of community spread was not even mentioned to give the citizens a sense of calm that things are being handled by their leaders.

“When Igbo Renaissance Forum raised the alarm on the plight of our people in Kano, we expected that there should have been an immediate proactive reaction as Kano has the largest number of Ndi Igbo domiciled in the Northern part of Nigeria, and would certainly have impact on Ala Igbo in such a case as we have seen so far from the turn of events.

“Alas! Kano was skipped! We would want to know if Ndi Igbo from your various states are still supposed to enjoy your thoughts towards security, or should they depend on governments of their states of residence, even though it might be elusive?”

The group also said that was sad that after series of back and forth with the issue of setting up a security outfit to secure Southeast homeland, the governors merely promised to “further strengthen our local security to protect farmlands and agriculture activities to encourage more participation in agriculture,” adding “one begins to wonder if this statement is a confirmation that the issue of strengthening our local security has not been taken seriously before now.”

It noted that “having heard the warnings about an impending attack across the country by even International Organizations, it worries us stiff that we are still in this unprepared mode as a people in Ala Igbo.

“Correct us if we are wrong, but if from early 2020 when the issue of Amotekun by the South West was raging till now and we still read such lines, then it is safe and right to say that nothing serious was done in this area.”

On the governor’s promise to think towards a regional approach to a post-COVID-19 era, the group said this was the only way to build a better resistance to the economic and psychological shock of the lockdown and other measure applied to fight COVID-19 as it had proposed in its first open letter to the governors.

The group expressed disappointment at the failure to commission the Akanu Ibiam International Airport as scheduled, and said: “We are disappointed that Your Excellencies could not make your voice heard in stressing the need for a timely completion at the stipulated standards as stipulated of the Enugu airport, rather all we hear is accolades for the President and the Minister for Aviation even when the official scheduled commissioning has been missed by a very long shot.”

It reminded the governors that the Abuja International airport was done and dusted in six weeks, while Kaduna airport was upgraded and palliatives done on the Abuja to Kaduna road to ease the suffering of air travelers as work was ongoing at the Abuja airport, but regretted that “nine months after the closure of the Enugu airport, and close to two months beyond the promised date of commissioning, we are yet to know exactly when the airport would be opened as Your Excellencies wrote in the communiqué that ‘the runway reconstruction and other newly added facilities are almost completed.’

“We would like to use this opportunity to request from Your Excellencies a setting up of a panel of enquiry to flesh out the reasons why our own brothers and sisters delivered a substandard, upgraded Akanu Ibiam International airport. We believe that this should also bother Your Excellencies.”