Major stakeholders in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State called for peaceful coexistence among residents on Thursday, April 18, 2024.
The call was made after an urgent meeting involving major stakeholders in Awka was invoked to find lasting solutions to crimes and gun violence in the city.
Addressing newsmen shortly after the meeting, the Managing Director of Awka Capital Territory Development Authority, ACTDA, Ossy Onuko, said the incidence of gun-related violence in the state capital was condemnable and insisted that illegal firearms possession is a crime that attracts a heavy penalty.
According to him: “Finding a lasting solution to the security challenges is necessary, as the elected and appointed officers owe a duty to the people to keep Awka safe, not just for residents, but for thousands of investors trooping into the city.”
He reiterated that Governor Soludo’s efforts to reposition and regenerate the city cannot be jeopardised by the activities of a very few misguided individuals who want to reap where they did not sow.
The ACTDA boss, who appealed passionately to youths engaging in such criminality to turn over a new leaf and embrace peace, described Awka as the most industrious city in the South East region.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Transition Committee Chairman of Awka South Local Government Area, Anagor ThankGod, who highlighted the severity of the gun problem in Awka, urged perpetrators to embrace peace for the greater good of the community.
The stakeholders later briefed the Anambra State Commissioner of Police, even as they hinted that their resolutions would also be presented to the governor.
