Food blockage: Ohaneze urges southerners to prepare for food sufficiency
The President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Cross River State, Chief Ugoji Nwabueze, has urged South-South people to look inward and prepare themselves in case northerners stop sending any food item to the South.
Speaking to newsmen in Calabar on Wednesday, the President regretted the attitude of the north for reportedly stopping the movement of food trucks to the south, noting that the situation, for now, does not warrant what they have done.
“It is unfortunate that in a country where we fought for our unity, where we say our motor has to do with unity and whatever we call diversity, one person said they will not bring food to the south; it is a very sad mark in the unity of this country.
“And that is why we must appeal to our leaders to be a little more careful with their utterances. We think that everybody must contribute to the unity of this country.
“If you sell cattle, we allow you to sell, if you sell tomatoes, we allow you to sell, whatever the difference, are issues that Nigerian leaders can sit together on a round table and resolve but unfortunately you found those our leaders making those utterances.
“So we want to appeal to both the south and the north, see the unity of this country as very important and very primary. All of us still have the right to live in this country which is ours.”
The President of Ndigbo noted that the blockage will definitely trigger up the cost of food in the market even if we say we are not going to eat cow again, it will also trigger the cost of the cow and others.
“So whatever happens is going to affect the economy of this country and more importantly, the unity of this country will be tampered with what is going on, that is why we need at this point, to appeal to both parties to look at the interest of this country.
“Our people should begin to look inward especially for leaders to see how they can intensify some of the things that we bring from outside that can cushion the effect of whatever the blockage might cause.
Daily Post