Moved by alleged embargo on Southern Nigeria bound food trucks by people suspected to be members of The Amalgamated Union of Food Stuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria to protest the alleged killing of their members in southern Nigeria forest, the Eze Ndigbo Ghana, HRM (Dr), Chukwudi Ihenetu has urged all sides to exercise restrain in order to avoid escalation of the problem into full trade war.
In a statement, the royal father who has won many awards as Peace Ambassador, said the development if unchecked could plung Africa’s most populated country into socio economic turmoils.
While calling on the Federal government to take adequate steps to restore normalcy along the Jebba- Niger state trade route, Eze Ihenetu said it is worrisome that the country is fast descending into anarchy. “A situation where groups and individuals could set up checkpoints and enforce blockade of foods and agriculture products from one part of the country to the other countraven the constitution which guarantee free movements in all parts of the country.”
On the implications of the development, Eze Ghana said apart from economic hardship on the citizenry, the situation could also scare investors away from the country.
He said with the country gradually recovering from the economic downturn caused by COVID-19, which has seen it exiting recession, crises like this if unchecked on time could increase the suffering of the masses.
Eze Ihenetu also appealed to the trade unions to engage in dialogue instead of mobilizing their members for strike and blockade of trade routes. He call on the association to consider their members who trades in perishable agriculture products whose loss are likely to run into Billions of Naira and call off the blockade
