The ex-lawmakers said that they had resolved to play advisory role to assist both executive and state legislature in the performance of their statutory functions.
Operating under the aegis of the association of former Imo State Law Makers, the chairman Prince Ugochukwu Nzekwe disclosed this when the executives and other members of the association paid a courtesy visit on the State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) – Mathew Sunday Ovye in his office in Owerri on Tuesday
Nzekwe-a trained Israeli/Garman security management expert and a former Minority Leader of the State House of Assembly said that desirous to assist contain security challenges in the state, the ex- Lawmakers had established a security committee that would liaise with security chiefs in the state to strengthen their operations.
The two-time lawmaker who represented Nkwere State Constituency, recalled that a good number of prominent Nigerians including the President, his Chief of Staff and the Vice President were former lawmakers at the national assembly.
He noted that security challenges in the state had continued to dwindle as a result of the relentless effort of Governor Hope Uzodinma to make the state a haven for all
While he hailed the NSCDC chief for his impressive performance, Nzekwe condoled with him for losing some of his personnel through the nefarious activities of unidentified criminals
He explained that the visit was to ascertain areas of need and support to the NSCDC in the state and enjoined officers and men of the crime fighting institution to remain undeterred in their patriotic services to the state and the nation at large despite odds.
He later presented a copy of the compendium of the former lawmakers to Ovye.
Responding, the NSCDC Commandant extolled the former lawmakers for their resolution to contribute their quota towards the resolution of the challenges confronting the state, noting that as lawmakers, they left their footprints on the sands of the time through qualitative and result oriented lawmaking.
He said: “Although you are no longer lawmakers, you should continue to forge ahead and we must all put out party differences behind us in order to build the Imo of our dream. We must rise and collectively fight insecurity and NSCDC has the mandate to protect critical assets of government.
He however identified lack of logistics as the greatest challenge confronting his office lamenting that non availability of vehicles had more often than not impeded quick responses to distress calls.
He also disclosed that Imo State had been identified as the headquarters of the NSCDC of the South East but is the only zone that lacks a secretariate to stall equipment to be supplied by both the Federal Ministry of Education and NSCDC headquarters Abuja for distributions to schools.
He therefore appealed to the former lawmakers to assist in remedy the situation.