By Dirisu Yakubu
The Ndigbo Youth Parliament, NYP,  has advised the federal government to interface with aggrieved groups in the country in the interest of national peace and stability. 

NYP speaker, Rt. Hon. Rikki Nwajiofor, stated this in a speech to mark the New Year.
In a speech released to the media yesterday,  Hon. Nwajiofor beckoned on the federal government to expedite action on Enugu-Onitsha Express way as “it is a death trap and an eyesore”. 

While appreciating security agents for sacrificing their freedom and lives in the interest of the nation, Nwajiofor called on the Youth, especially Ndigbo Youth to “rise against perpetrators of violence and their sponsors”. 

He said: “To strengthen the unity of this great nation, we call on the federal government to learn from the mistakes of last year, in some issues that were wrongly handled, and make frantic efforts within 2022 to dialogue with all aggrieved parties/groups. As we often posit, not all issues are addressed with forceful approach cum punitive measures. Some issues are better solved via dialogue and sensitization. 

“It is with a heart filled with unalloyed gratitude that I felicitate with all of us for making it into this glorious year – 2022. I give glory to the Almighty for keeping us alive to see this day and for keeping our beloved country together till date, amidst all agitations and insecurity. 

“Compatriots, the year 2021 has come and gone but not without some hitches, economic quagmire and insecurity experienced by millions of Nigerians. I appreciate all the patriotic Nigerians, especially the youths and more especially Ndigbo youths, who persevered and remained patriotic even in the face of unabated insecurity across the nation. 

“I immensely appreciate our security agencies, especially the galant military personnel, who are at the battle front sacrificing their freedom and even lives so that we may be secured. 
“May your vital force be increased. I sincerely condole with the families of all those who lost their lives in the fight against terrorism, banditry, insurrection, kidnapping and the likes. May the dead enjoy blissful rest, amen. 

“NYP has critically analysed the events of 2021 and we are quite convinced that our beloved country – Nigeria needs our collective support to succeed. Nigeria cannot succeed if we do not contribute our individual quotas in our various sectors and communities.

“Though some issues were wrongly handled in 2021, which escalated some situations and heated up the polity in some regions, especially in the South East, Ndigbo  Youth  Parliament is convinced that the unity of this great nation is sacrosanct.

In the same vein, Ndigbo Youth Parliament calls on all our brethren from the Igbo speaking states to embrace any peaceful measures which the federal government may come up with in this 2022 so as to restore normalcy and peace in our beloved region and Nigeria at large. 
“Secession is not the solution to the underdevelopment witnessed in the South East.

The reason is clear: some of the architects of our underdevelopment and seeming marginalization are from our region – they are our brethren and they live with us. Thus, even if we secede, they are still there with us and will still be in charge of our political affairs, if we do not change the stride now. 

He decried what he called poor infrastructure in the South-East, saying, “our region is deprived of some infrastructural developments being carried out by the federal government. 

“The Enugu – Onitsha express way is a death trap, in fact; it is a hell on earth. We call on the federal government to expedite actions on that road as it is in a sorry-state; a a complete eyesore.”