Governors of the South-South geopolitical zone, formerly pursuing regional integration through the BRACED Commission have jettisoned the initiative, electing Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri to champion a new drive for robust regional interaction and development.
This was one of the major fall -out of the meeting of the governors at the Government House, Yenagoa, on Tuesday hosted by Gov. Diri.
Among the governors in attendance were Sherrif Oborevwori of Delta State, Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers, Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, Bassey Otu of Cross River and the host, Gov. Diri.
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State didn’t attend and wasn’t represented.
At the meeting, the governors lamented that previous meetings, particularly under the auspices of the BRACED (Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta) Commission had not yielded the necessary results and prayed that the new direction under Gov. Diri will open a new vista for the region.
The governors urged forum members to put their political affiliations aside to enable them achieve their objectives.
Governors Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom), Bassey Otu (Cross River), Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta) and Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers) appreciated Gov. Diri for hosting the meeting and for setting the tone for states to have action plans and delivery timelines on issues agreed upon.
They noted that the meeting was long overdue and that it was expedient for states in the region to work together to forge a buoyant economy outside of oil and gas.
They also stated that speaking in one voice will send the right signal that the region deserves the necessary attention from the federal government.
Gov. Oborevwori had moved the motion nominating Gov. Diri for the chairmanship of the forum, while his Rivers State counterpart, Siminalayi Fubara, seconded the motion.
Gov. Bassey Otu of Cross River emerged as the vice chairman of the forum.
Responding, Gov. Diri said his emergence as chairman is a call to higher service and promised to serve the forum and the region diligently.
He said the position is not an office for him alone, but a collective task for all governors of the South-South to move the region forward.
Gov. Diri stated that the forum will go beyond issuing communiques, to taking action on critical issues that affect the region’s development.
“Working together, we have all resolved that our region will not fail. We have seen other regions working while our region was quiet,” he stated.
In a communique at the end of the meeting, the governors expressed support for the ongoing tax reforms of the Tinubu administration.
Read also: In Bayelsa, we’re turning myths to reality’ -Gov. Diri
The communique, read by the Bayelsa governor, however, urged the president to extend the proposed VAT sharing to other areas of derivation like oil and gas.
They argued that the law on oil derivation prescribed a minimum of 13 per cent and that the federal government should consider also increasing the amount on oil derivation to states of the region.
The forum also appreciated the president for the award and commencement of the coastal road project, but demanded that it equally commence from the Calabar axis as it would not only enhance connectivity but also stimulate economic development in the region.
While thanking President Tinubu for the ongoing work on the East-West Road, the governors stressed that work should be expedited to ensure early completion.
Other areas the South South governors called for the intervention of the federal government include the extension of the ongoing remediation of Ogoni land to other polluted environments in the region.
The forum expressed its readiness to establish a robust and structured security network to enhance security in the region.
