By CHARLES IWUOHA

The South East Governors Forum has disclosed that various states Houses of Assembly in the zone would enact a common security law in line with the security needs of the zone.

The Chairman of the South East Governors’ forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. David Umahi, read this out as part of the 10 points resolution from a communiqué issued at the end of their meeting at the Executive Council Chambers at the Government House, Enugu, on Sunday.

The governor further requested that the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to revert to their initial agreement reached with the South East Governors as they cannot implement his recent communication to them on community policing until the programme reflects their earlier agreement.

The Governors Forum further directed all Igbos living inside and outside Igbo land to obey all extant Covid-19 orders such as Presidential directives on inter-state movement, WHO, hygiene protocols, Presidential Task Force and directives of South East Governors where they live and to further engage the NCDC to scale up testing for coronavirus in the South East.

The meeting also agreed to set up a committee in their various states to work with the Federal Government, World Bank, CBN and NSIA in their various programmes lined up to rejig the economy in the areas of Agriculture, SME and Solid Minerals. Tis, they said, is in addition to holding a virtual meeting with the Group Managing Director of NNPC on the issue of linking the South East capital with gas pipeline alongside with the pipeline programme of the Federal Government running from Imo to Lagos State.

The South East Governors’ Forum assured that with the progress of work currently going on at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, the airport will reopen soonest subject to Covid-19 Federal Government programme.

The meeting agreed that Ohanaeze Ndigbo should submit a working document during their next meeting on the setting up of South East Stabilization Fund and announced that the next Executive Committee meeting of the South East Traditional Institution shall be hosted by Ebonyi State.

The meeting was attended by four Governors of the South East states, with Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State represented by his Deputy, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu. Other attendees included President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, South East Traditional rulers including the chairman, Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Joseph Nwabeke, elder statesmen and captains of industry from the South East zone.