Close ranks to end insecurity, association urges political leaders

The Pan- African Association of Scholars of Humanities and Social Sciences (PASHASS), has urged political leaders in Imo to unite to tackle the security challenges in the state.

Dr Abah Ikwue, President of the Association, a Civil Society Organisation (CSO), said this while speaking with newsmen in Owerri on Friday.

Ikwue, a senior lecturer at the Department of English and Literary Studies, Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri called on politicians to close ranks in order to effectively address insecurity problems in the state.

He noted that while the association does not blame any particular individual for the security situation, it behooves on political leaders to come together and find lasting solutions.

According to him, peace cannot be achieved without the necessary synergy across party lines irrespective of vested interests.

This, he said had informed the association’s decision to convoke a conference of political, religious and other stakeholders in Imo with a view to ending insecurity in the state.

“To be fair, Gov. Uzodimma has made several efforts to address security challenges in the state but he cannot do it without the support of Imo people and stakeholders of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“One of the visions of PASHASS is to engineer peace in crisis areas and we believe that one of the first steps is to make the leaders see reasons to look beyond individual interests and pursue the common goal of restoring peace.

“.Without unity, peace is far-fetched, hence our reason for convoking a conference of political leaders and other stakeholders on Thursday, Aug. 12, to address the state of leadership in Imo as it has to do with current security challenges.

“We have begun reaching out to political and other leaders in the state and hopefully, there will be light at the end of the tunnel,’’ he said.

He, however, pointed out that leadership had taken a new dimension in the 21st century, adding that it now involves a person’s ability to help his followers overcome their challenges.

Ikwue called on residents of the state to support government’s efforts to restore peace to accelerate development of the state.