From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos
The South East Forum (SEF) has charged governors from the region to leave lasting legacies by delivering dividend of democracy to the people like the late Sam Mbakwe, a former governor of Imo.
Mbakwe, the first Executive Governor of Imo, died 10 years ago.
Addressing Newsmen in Lagos ahead of the 10 years remembrance of the late Mbakwe, SEF Chairman, Mr Austin Nnorom said that there was need for governors of the South East to emulate him.
“The 10 years memorial of late Sam Mbakwe calls for reflection on Governance in the South East and clearly throws aspersion on today’s South East leaders.
“Mbakwe left so many legacies as a leader and governor. What we have now is the inability of some South East leaders/governors to deliver democratic dividends to the people.
“The South East region today suffers clear infrastructural underdevelopment and high level of unemployment, which is evident from the exodus of its youths to other parts of the country.
“Our survey which shows that over 10,000 youths of the South East Nigeria migrate daily to other parts of the country and overseas calls for more responsive Governance” Nnorom said.
He said that South East governors should, as a matter of urgency, commence youth and women empowerment programs.
“The empowerment is part of the human capital development goals responsible for the huge success of the late Sam Mbakwe’s administration” he said.
According to him, it is so worrisome that the South East region today has the largest baby factories globally as a result of outright neglect for teenage females.
“As we are approaching another election year we call on the good people of the south east to vote in visionary leaders like late Sam Mbakwe that had people oriented programs” he added.
