Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has raised the alarm that the current wave of insecurity in the country as the worst in the Nation’s history.
According to the Governor, Leadership and Patriotism being exhibited by President Muhammadu Buhari led administration, are the way out.
Speaking yesterday in Ushafa, Bwari Area Council, Abuja when he presented a paper on “National Security and Sustainable Development” at the National Institute for Security Studies, NISS cried out on imminent swallowing up of Imo land by Gully Erosion.
According to him, while peace and security are ‘sine qua none ‘ for development, it can also be said that real development driven by good leadership cum governance, are also a precursor to peace and security, the very reason President Buhari’s leadership will help in getting Nigeria out of the woods.
He said, ” t may not be an exaggeration to say that the current wave of insecurity in the land is one of the worst in recent history.
“Truth to tell, in the last ten years, the country has never had it this bad in terms of security challenges or insecurity.
“The direct consequence is that Nigeria, that was once perceived as a peaceful place for residence and business by foreigners , is now listed among the dangerous places to visit in the travel advisories of many countries.”
Speaking further, Governor Uzodinma listed factors such as ethnicity, religious difference, illiteracy, unemployment, poverty and perennial problem of porous borders as causes and anatomy of insecurity in Nigeria.
Poverty according to him, is the strongest of the factors causing insecurity in Nigeria since going by available statistics, 51.4% or 98million Nigerians are living in penury with attendant penchant for crimes and criminality.
He said that problem is seriously being addressed by President Muhammadu Buhari led government through series of Social intervention programmes .
He said, “Similar thing is being done in Imo State with the establishment of Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition Ministry which had trained about 10, 000 youths and targeting 200,000 altogether for wealth generation through self employment.
His poverty eradication government in Imo State, he lamented, is however seriously being threatened by natural disaster known as Gully Erosion, adding, ” Is at the risk of being swallowed by gully erosion.
“As at the last count, Imo has 300 active erosion sites which cut across 27 local government areas of the State .
“About 100 of them, mainly in Ideato, North, Ideato South, Njaba, Orlu and Owerri West, are deadly by putting many homes and lives in danger of being washed away “.
The attention of the federal government, he added, has been sought for urgent intervention on the life-threatening gully erosion.
The lecture given by Governor Uzodimma, was 13th of such, since the establishment of the institute.
