Growing Insecurity Challenges In The South East Will Deepen Employment Crisis, Azubogu Warns

A governorship aspirant under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 6 election, Engr Chris Emeka Azubogu and the member representing Nnewi North/Nnewi South/Ekwusigo Federal Constituency in the House of Representative, has expressed concerns over the growing insecurity in the country as a whole and the South East, in particular, lamenting that it is exacerbating the unemployment crisis, especially among the youth.

He went on to call for a restorative justice commission on human right violation in resolving the security challenges in the South East via creating jobs for young people.

Stating that insecurity drives investment and its attendant jobs away, Azubogu urged all citizens to unite and embrace the peace that will engender a healthy environment for investments that will generate jobs for the youth.

Engr Azubogu, who spoke after attending the PDP National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at Abuja on Thursday and also collected his PDP clearance certificate to contest the primaries for the November 6 Governorship election said: “The growing insecurity in our country should worry everyone. If there is a better time for the country to put a mechanism that will guarantee peace, that time is now. We should all unite to find the peace that will provide healthy environments for investments that will generate jobs for young people,” Azubogu said.

Azubogu also regretted that the growing insecurity will keep investors away from Nigeria especially with the coming of the Africa Continental Trade Area (AfCTA).

See moment Chris Azubogu and others received AnaedoOnline Award

According to him, “the danger is that at a time we should be exploring huge African single market with the coming of African Continental Trade Area (AfCTA), we are facing serious insecurity and the consequences is that investors will move into other African countries and manufacture from there and flood our market without import duties in-line with AfCTA protocols.

“The implication is that more people will be out of jobs in Nigeria while our consumption will create more jobs for other African countries. We have to unite and resolve this growing insecurity and activate our manufacturing capacity to create jobs.” Azubogu said.

The leading PDP Governorship aspirant had earlier visited some of the security infrastructure damaged in Anambra State, appealed to those attacking the security infrastructure in the State to stop forthwith to allow for meaningful development and effective solution to issues facing the state.

“There is also a need for us to open a new conversation that will involve all parties on how to resolve the growing insecurity in South East, especially in Anambra State. And we all have to support the State government and all the other leaders to find solutions to the spate of insecurity. To this, we should open conversation with the people of the State as we pursue civic engagement on how to resolve it.

Establishing an effective Truth and Reconciliation Commission just like South African did after the apartheid era will help us in Anambra State to identify victims of human right violations in the state and develop a mechanism for proper reconciliation that will end what looks like a culture of self-help that has generated vicious circle of violence due to weak administration of criminal justice system that has allowed the human right violation to grow so much to this point. ” he said.

Azubogu noted that with the PDP clearance certificate, he has been given the go-ahead by the party’s Screening Committee to go ahead with his campaign for the June 26, 2021 Governorship election primary.

Azubogu concluded by commiserating with victims of insecurity and other violent crimes in the South East and other parts of Nigeria and pleaded that an alternative to violence should be explored for humanity’s sake.

Connect with us on Twitter