South-East Leaders To Implement Demands Of MASSOB, Youths In Region

South-east governors and other leaders in the region have agreed to implement the 10-point demands of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and youth organisations to foster lasting peace and development of the region.

The decision was taken at a meeting between various leaders and youth groups which held on Friday at the Government House in Enugu State.

Ebonyi State Governor and Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum, David Umahi, addressed reporters at the end of the meeting.

“Today, we interacted with a number of youth organisations in the South East. The communique of MASSOB in our meeting with them is quite informing and I am happy that our leaders at the federal level are here,” he said.

The governor added, “The ones our federal leaders will address immediately, they will and the ones the governors will address, we will immediately.

“And I am sure sometimes in December, working with all the committees we are going to set up to work on these demands, Mr President-General (of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo) will be able to lead select youths and some leaders to meet with Mr President.”

According to Governor Umahi, all the issues raised in the communique of MASSOB are valid and important to ensure lasting peace in the South East and the nation in general.

Some of the demands presented to the meeting by the MASSOB leader, Uche Madu, included the emergence of a president in 2023 from the region, disarming of killer herdsmen, and creation of a new state in the South East.

They also asked the leaders to set up a youth rehabilitation and empowerment fund to address unemployment in the region and take up the alleged imbalance in the federal civil service, among other demands.

Those present at the meeting included ministers and members of the National Assembly from the South East, as well as religious and traditional leaders in the region.