BY NATIONAL PANEL REPORTERS
In Ebonyi, the Izhi Nnodo Youth Forum has set up a committee to clampdown all the dealers and consumers of the trending methamphetamine called Mkpuru-mmiri in its vicinity.
The National President of the Forum, Comrade Ben Nwovu made this known on Thursday during their 2021 end year party in Abakaliki town.
Nwovu noted that the members of the Forum cutting across three local government areas including Abakaliki, Ebonyi and Izzi, have been advised to desist from intake of hard drugs in considering their negative effects on their health.
"I have set a committee in various communities in Izhi land, to clampdown all the dealers and consumers of Mkpuru-mmiri in our land.
"That anybody found taking mkpurummiri, should be tied and corrected to make sure that the mkpurummiri is completely avoided in Izhi land.
"It's not only taking the dealers or consumers of Mkpuru-mmiri to the Police but such people should be corrected by their mates.
"I have asked the members of the committee not to beat the perpetrators of the dangerous drug to coma. So, mkpurummiri is prohibited in entire Izhi land and anybody found should be brought to my office, to ensure he or she is properly corrected," the President said.
Nwovu who was the immediate past Caretaker Chairman of Abakaliki Local Government Area commended the youths and elders of Izhi Nation for their solidarity during the event and urged them to continue giving his leadership all the necessary support to deliver more effectively.
He urged the people to observe the Yuletide with full measure of love, prayers and respect to the people on authourity.
Nwovu commended highly the Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr David Nweze Umahi for his infrastructural development particularly Ebonyi North Senatorial District.
He extolled the contributions of the Izhi stakeholders especially those who assisted the Forum to organise a colourful end year party.
Also, Mr Ebere Nwogba, the Coordinator of Ekumaenyi Development Centre, who was the Chairman of the occasion, said that Izhi youths remained united, and equally canvassed for total eradication of Mkpuru-mmiri in their land.
He expressed the readiness of the Izhi youths to produce the next governor of Ebonyi State.
"We are 100 percent ready as youths to make sure that the next governor of Ebonyi State, come from Izhi land in 2023," Nwogba stated.
Different speakers during the event, including the State Commissioner for Education, Mr Sunday Nwangele, Anthony Ibogu, Emeka Iboko, Maurice Mbam, among others commended the leadership of the Izhi Nnodo Youth Forum, saying that the gathering was one of the ways to better the lots of Izhi people in the state and beyond.
Some of the speakers advised Izhi people especially the youths to obtain their voter cards, calling their people who are not living in Izhi land to make change of polling unit to any of the polling units in their home town.
The speakers threw their weight around the leadership of Izhi Nnodo Youth Forum in its fight against Mkpuru-mmiri, and all forms of social vices.
The youths urged Governor David Umahi to do consciously remember the efforts of Izhi people for his election and reelection into his office with all support given to his leadership since 2015 till date, by anointing any of their people as his successor come 2023.
According to Emeka Iboko, the leaders of Izhi Nnodo Youth Forum should equally meet the governor to provide the Forum with land to build their Secretariat.
Mr Maurice Mbam, the President Emeritus of the Forum, expressed optimism that Izhi man would succeed Governor David Nweze Umahi in 2023, and however, urged the elders of the state to be involving youths in the discussion of the next governoship of the state.
Mbam said, "the unity of Izhi people has grown stronger and nobody can scatter the unity of Izhi Nnodo, whether you're rich or poor."
He added: "We are looking for the person that will have the interest of our people. Let's put our house together and build our house to the highest level. If you think that you have arrived, you should come and assist Izhi people.
"I want by the next year Christmas celebration, more youths will be building houses, more empowerment programmes will be offered to our people especially the youths, where youths can be comfortable driving in unity, joy and even in their luxurious cars.
"I thank our National President for the efforts made so far in building the unity among the youths of the Izhi land," Mbam said.
Further, the President of the National Association of Izhi Nnodo Students, Chinedu Nwefihe, called for the assistance of the leadership of the Forum to assist them to get their LG bursaries.
Nwefihe equally announced that his office had embarked on awareness campaign for the continuous voter registration, and assured the students' support for any Izhi man who would win his or her party ticket for the 2023 governorship position in Ebonyi State.
