By James Eze

...The stakeholders commend Gov. Mbah for his proactive leadership.

...Commend his move to effect the release of Nnamdi Kanu; lauds the quality leadership the Governor has brought to bear.

...Urge the security heads in the state to beef up security in order to guarantee the safety of lives and property in the state, not only on Monday but also on every other day.

...Raise 11-point communique duly signed in expression of their strong support for the abolition of the Monday sit-at-home.

Enugu State stakeholders involving traditional rulers, the religious, civil society organisations, regional heads of financial institutions,town union presidents, organized labour: NLC, TUC, NURTW, students' bodies and their leaders, youth leaders, Nigerian Union of Teachers, Amalgamated Market Union Leaders, Nigerian Bar Association, NGOs, Trycycle Riders Union, and so on have today in a townhall meeting held at Old Government Lodge, Abakaliki Road, Enugu endorsed the order by Enugu State Government cancelling Monday sit-at-home order in the state.The stakeholders raised an 11-point communique in support of the abrogation of the sit-at-home order.

The leaders of the groups each took turn to speak. In his speech, the former chairman of Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers, Amb. Barr. Lawrence Agubuzu decried in strong terms the sit-at-home home order and the killings and economic hardship it engendered. He wondered why anyone would think self-determination or separation could be earned by perpetration of killing and economic hardship on the people for whom the said freedom was being sought. He noted that Eritrea separated from Ethiopia and did not achieve it by neither killing the people nor subjecting them to economic hardship of sit-at-home; that South Sudan separated from Sudan and did not do so by sit-at-home and killing of its people; that Bangladesh separated from Pakistan and did not do so by killing its people and subjecting them to the hardship of sitting at home. He then wondered why anybody should think Biafra could be earned by the killing of its people, and subjecting them to economic difficulties.

All the leaders who spoke condemned the sit-at-home order and commended the governor for taking the courageous path to its cancellation.

Earlier, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Chidiebere Onyia, had done the introductory remark setting the tone for the discussion. He traced the history of the Monday sit-at-home and its negative impacts in the lives of the people and wondered why anyone could view it with any acceptance when it had achieved no meaningful result. According to the SSG, Enugu State lost N10 billion each Monday it observed sit-at-home. He said such a scenario was inimical to the economic growth which the Mbah Administration sets to achieve 

His Excellency, Governor Mbah, in his remark told the people his administration would take out of the way anything that would inhibit his economic transformation agenda. He said that Monday sit-at-home was not the right instrument for the release of Nnamdi Kanu,saying he had met with the president over Nnamdi Kanu's release and their discussion gained much prospect. He reiterated his resolute determination to fulfill his campaign promises to the people of Enugu State.

Leaders of the various groups including the state's Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Ammani, took turn to speak, and they unanimously condemned the sit-at-home syndrome as an ill wind that blew no one no good, and so commended the governor for cancelling it in the state.

Also present at the townhall were the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai, the state chairman of the PDP, Chief Augustine Nnamani, former Deputy Governor of the State, Rev. Dr Ralph Nwoye, the state commissioner of Police, CP Amani and others.

The motion for the adoption of the communique was moved by the Archbishop of Anglican Eclessiastical Province of Enugu, Archbishop Olisa Chukwuma, and seconded by Barr. Nwagbara.