Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in Enugu State during the March 18, 2023 Governorship, election, Frank Nweke Jr, has advised the Enugu state government to work towards wining the truth and confidence of citizens through demonstrable efforts to adequately ensure safety of lives and properties
He gave the advice in his reaction to the sealing of over 100 shops by the Enugu State Government, for not adhering to the ban on sit at home by business owners in the state.
In a statement tagged ‘Unraveling Monday sit-at-home quagmire in Enugu State,’ the former Minister, said that overturning the sit at home in the state needed patience.
“Overturning these two years of fear will require some level of patience.
“Trust can not be earned by force or decrees,” he said.
The statement said: “Unraveling the ‘Monday sit-at-home’ in Enugu is a classic leadership quagmire. It mimics the dilemma of the tsetse fly perched on the scrotum – swatting the fly without due care may crush the testicles. Doing nothing does not preserve the twin balls, either. Yet, something must be done.
“The sit-at-home order by renegades is destructive. It undermines the rights of citizens to free movement and pursuit of their social and economic endeavors. No benefit can come out of this obnoxious imposition. Government is right in working to end it.
“Sealing businesses, however, for not opening to business further compels the shop owners to ‘sit at home.’ Just, what you don’t want.
“Our people sit at home on Mondays out of fear for dear life. Businesses are set up for profit. No benefit, therefore, accrues in the owners shutting their businesses.
“Each day that owners sit at home undermines their business and profit and survival. However, it is only someone who is alive that can open a business to make a profit. There are genuine reasons to be fearful.
“The ongoing efforts by the government are commendable. In addition to mobilising the security services, the government must work to earn the trust of citizens. Trust cannot be earned by force. It cannot be decreed. Overturning these two years of fear will require some level of patience.
“Government should not be baited by non-state actors into coercive actions that may be counterproductive.
“I urge empathy, constructive engagement, and demonstrable efforts to protect citizens in a way that they can see and feel, in order to progressively restore normalcy to the state.” he said.
