Minister of Foreign Affairs in President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet, Geoffrey Onyeama on Wednesday, said part of the fallout of a meeting between the Federal Government and stakeholders from the South East over the #EndSARS Protest was a confession from them that it was the first time government at the centre was having a direct interface with youths from the region.
He said the meeting was quite fruitful as stakeholders from the region are committed to putting a stop to menace of insecurity that has bedeviled the entire country.
Recall that in the aftermath of the ENDSARS protests, the presidency dispatched cabinet members and other party members to their states of origin to have heart – to – heart conversation with their people to unravel their grievances against the government.
The Foreign Affairs Minister, while briefing State House Correspondents on Wednesday, noted that the South East Governors are committed to creating victims support fund to compensate and help victims of violence.
He said they are also willing to engage more systematically with the youths to address the agitations that resulted in #EndSARS Protest.
He also revealed that governors from the region came up with a number of proposals in that context to see better funding of the police and other security agencies as a way to achieving the right goal in addressing the security offices.
“They were also very keen to ensure and guarantee the safety of all Nigerians living within the zone and also thanked the other parts of the country for assuring the safety of those from the South East living in other parts of the country.
“They said they will set up a mechanism for constant dialogue with the youths and all the other stakeholders in the subregion. They appreciated very much that the enabling environment also had to be created so that the root causes of some of the agitations could be addressed and of course some of this enabling environment will be getting the economy back on track and they were supportive of the initiative of Mr. President in that regard.
” So all in all, it was an initiative the grassroots welcomed, they said it was the first time the Federal Government was engaging with the youths, “he stated .
Speaking further, he said two days later, another stakeholders meeting was organized by myself where all the Presidents General from the state of Enugu were invited in addition to youths and traditional leaders. The discussions looked at larger issues of the country, governance issues and steps that could be taken to as it were stabilize the polity and to build a framework for peace, stability and development.
According to Onyeama, it is work in progress and it is all about building trust. The South East Governors did address the issue of ethnicity in this whole situation and it was in that context that they committed to assuring the security of groups that are not from the zone of their protection and also reaching out beyond their zone to their counterparts to also ensure the security of South Easterners living in other parts of the country.
“But I think this also speaks to just the whole security apparatus supporting the security forces to be able to defend and protect Nigerians wherever they are within the country, I think that is really what it has to be about.
“Of course they may be other things that government issues that will come up to play but I think the most immediate one really would be having security forces that are enabled and empowered to be able to protect every single Nigerian wherever they might have found themselves in the country, “he emphasized.
Asked to comment on the threat of sanctions by the UK Parliament on government officials, he said the Federal Government has reached out to the UK government.
” On the issue of UK Parliament, yes we have reached out to the UK government. The meeting that took place were Parliamentarians and don’t speak for U.K. government which acts for the United Kingdom has also heard the side of the (Nigerian) government regarding everything that has happened.
“So, we have been in touch with them and engaging with them. And of course as in any democracy, the members of parliament are able to air their view.
“But what is important is that balanced picture is made available to them before they take any decision, “he stated .
