(L-R) Sir Monday Onyeme, Deputy Governor Delta State, Pst Umo Eno, Akwa-Ibom, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, Edo, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, Rivers, Sen. Douye Diri, Bayelsa & Amb. Joe Keshi, DG, BRACED at the meeting in Edo on Thursday
South South Governors have called for the urgent need for a review of Nigeria’s constitution to give give more powers, resources and responsibilities to the states.
South -South Governors who said this on Thursday at the regional organisation’s meeting under the auspices of the BRACED Commission (Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Edo & Delta), in their 16 point communique stated that if there is devolution of power and resource control to the states, there will be faster economic growth, development, security and peaceful coexistence.
The 16-point communique read by Governor Obaseki, the host and newly elected Chairman of the Commission, noted that the governors of the six South-South states were poised to reposition the Commission after a long period of inactivity.
They stated that the original goal was to promote regional socioeconomic development and integration that would be mutually beneficial to the states which they were determined to sustain as they restated their resolve to reposition for socioeconomic development of the region.
They assured that the council has an obligation to properly position and strengthen the Commission to enable it accomplish the region’s desire to foster economic cooperation and integration among states of the South-South, noting that the region, its people and country will be the ultimate beneficiaries.
The communique stressed that the challenges of the Commission were surmountable and asked member states to join hands in addressing the problems as quickly as possible to enable the region to restart and accelerate its journey towards economic cooperation and integration.
The governors further resolved, “to foster regional economic cooperation and integration with a view to achieving sustainable development through the creation of a strong regional economy for the collective benefit of the people of the South-South”.
They also resolved to “establish and inaugurate the BRACED Business Council” in order to forge closer partnership with the Council to improve the business climate and attract investors and businesses into the region.
It was also resolved that they will “collectively engage the federal government on the development of key infrastructure in the region, particularly roads, rail development (fast train from Lagos to Calabar), the decentralization and rehabilitation of the seaports in the region as well as the management of security in the country”.
The communique further stated the governors’ resolve “to direct the Commissioners of Environment and Attorney-Generals of the States to meet and collectively examine the feasibility of a regional environmental law and environmental blue carbon partnership for the protection of the mangroves forest ecosystems of the South-South. And to work with the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the benefit of the region.
In a brief report, the Director-General of the Commission, Amb. Joe Keshi, noted that since inception the rationale behind the its establishment in 2011 was to improve agriculture, education, environment, power, security and utilisation of sports to empower youths of the region.
Keshi, who also highlighted some of the commission’s challenges, urged the commission to act promptly to address various issues affecting it.
Others present at the meeting include, Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara alongside the governors of Akwa-Ibom, Pst. Umo Eno, Bayelsa, Sen. Douye Diri and Delta, represented by the deputy, Chief Monday Onyeme. Cross River state was absent at the meeting.
