Open grazing: ADF, ASETU attack South East govs

Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF) and Association of South East Town Unions (ASETU), yesterday, accused South-East governors of fiddling with the security of their people.

Reacting to a recent statement by South-East Governors’ Forum Chairman and Ebonyi Governor, David Umahi, that governors of the zone had banned open grazing in all parts of the zone, ADF’s spokesman, Abia Onyike, claimed the governors only made the pronouncement as a response to the general trend of public opinion which recently tilted against open grazing in the country.

The ADF wondered why the governors had not taken steps to back up the pronouncement with the law if they were serious about it.

Onyike said the ADF had since 2017, circulated a document urging the South-East governors and the Houses of Assembly speakers to pass the anti-open grazing bill into law, but they ignored the group.

Also, ASETU President, Emeka Diwe, insisted the existential threats faced by the Igbo would have been over if the governors were proactive and sincere about the issue.

Meanwhile, former national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, has said there was the need to address the issues that gave rise to the agitations by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).