Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has said he is willing and available for any meaningful dialogue that would bring an end to violence in the state.

Governor Uzodinma stated this in a statewide broadcast monitored by monitored on Saturday, to mark the 2021 democracy day celebration.

The Governor appealed to everyone to sheath their swords, saying as “brothers and sisters from the same state, we can resolve our differences amicably without resort to violence”.

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Uzodinma reassured the people of Imo State that he was resolute and committed to serving the people to the best of his ability.

Recall that Imo State has been under heavy attacks by unknown gunmen leading to the wanton killing of security personnel and burning down of critical federal assets across the state and southeast zone as a whole.

His words, “Just a few days ago, the police announced that the security situation in Imo State has a political undertone. It is a confirmation of what we already know because those who vowed to make the state ungovernable for us have been unrelenting. But to the glory of God, they have been subdued.

“It is, however, unfortunate that in the course of restoring normalcy, there has been collateral damage in terms of loss of lives and destruction of property. My heartfelt condolences go to the families of those who have lost the lives of their dear ones and those whose property has been destroyed.

“We should collectively come together to rebuild our state and build its economy. With what has happened, investments are jeopardised and may soon take flight. Our youths are losing the few jobs they have. This should not be the legacy we should leave for our children.

“In the spirit of democracy, I am willing and available for any meaningful dialogue that would bring an end to violence in our dear state.

“Let me reiterate here that we need peace for development. We should not be frittering our scarce resources in the management of security crises. You can bear me witness that the achievements we recorded in our first year in office would not have been possible under this kind of hostile and volatile atmosphere. We, therefore, need to move past this and take back our state.

“The government will continue to meet its obligations to workers. The government will continue to safeguard lives and property in the state. Above all, Government will continue to ensure that Imo people benefit from the fruits of this hard-won democracy”.