TD The Anambra State House of Assembly has been urged to urgently intervene in the plight of indigenes of the state recently returned from South Africa who are reportedly stranded without adequate accommodation, feeding, transportation and means of livelihood.
The appeal is contained in a petition dated August 14, 2026, addressed to Hon. Barr. Mimi Ifeoma Azikiwe, Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Public Petitions, Anambra State House of Assembly, through the Chairman of the Committee.
The petition was signed by Comrade Onuoha E. Onuoha, Anambra State Chairman and South-East Zonal Representative of the Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC).
Onuoha said some of the returnees had allegedly remained stranded for more than one month following their return from South Africa.
According to the petitioner, some of the affected persons are indigenes of Onitsha, which falls within the constituency represented by Azikiwe.
This, Onuoha said, makes her intervention particularly important.
The petition described the situation as an urgent humanitarian matter requiring immediate government attention, assistance and a structured reintegration programme.
Calls for Legislative Intervention
The OYC leader appealed to the House Committee on Public Petitions to invite relevant government agencies and stakeholders to brief the Committee on the circumstances surrounding the returnees and their present condition.
The Committee was also urged to establish the number.
Onuoha further urged the Committee to identify the affected persons and determine their immediate needs, particularly those without accommodation, food, transportation and other basic necessities.
The petitioner further called on the Anambra State Government to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to the returnees.
It also asked it to facilitate an official reception and engagement between them and the state government.
Beyond immediate relief, the petition called for the establishment of a structured reintegration and empowerment programme for the returnees.
Such a programme, according to the petitioner, should include skills acquisition, employment opportunities, entrepreneurship support, grants, soft loans and other sustainable livelihood initiatives.
The OYC also urged the state government to coordinate with relevant Federal Government agencies, local governments, community organisations and humanitarian bodies to ensure comprehensive and sustainable support.
Returnees May Appear Before Committee
The petitioner requested that representatives of the affected returnees or their advocates be invited to appear before the House Committee where necessary to provide first-hand accounts of their experiences and explain their current needs.
The petition stressed that the matter was fundamentally about human dignity, compassion and the responsibility of government towards citizens facing vulnerable circumstances.
“Our people have returned home; they should not remain stranded for weeks without knowing where their next meal, accommodation or means of livelihood will come from,” the petitioner stated.
The OYC appealed to Azikiwe to use her position as Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Public Petitions to secure urgent legislative and governmental attention to the matter.
According to the petitioner, such intervention would help establish the facts surrounding the returnees’ situation, provide immediate relief and create a pathway towards meaningful and sustainable reintegration.
The OYC said it remained available to provide the names, locations, documentation and other relevant information concerning the affected persons whenever required.
Petition Copied to Soludo, Assembly Speaker
Copies of the petition were also addressed to Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, the Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Petitions, the Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation, and relevant government agencies and stakeholders.
The petition now places the reported plight of the returnees before the state legislature and government.
The petitioners seek urgent action to prevent further hardship and facilitate their reintegration into society.
This Dawn News will continue to follow developments surrounding the appeal for government intervention and the welfare of the affected returnees.
