By: Daure David
In a significant development for the South-South region, Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has been appointed the new chairman of the South-South Governors’ Forum. This was announced during the forum’s meeting held at the Government House in Yenagoa.
Governor Diri’s election follows a motion moved by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, who nominated him as chairman, with Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State as Vice-Chairman. The nomination was seconded by Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State.
The meeting, which was attended by Governors from the five states in the region, also saw the governors deliberate on a range of key issues aimed at fostering economic growth, infrastructural development, and security in the South-South zone. Among the resolutions, the governors called for the completion of the long-awaited East-West road project, an extension of the ongoing remediation efforts in Ogoni land to other polluted regions, and the establishment of a South-South Regional Security Network.
The governors also voiced strong support for President Bola Tinubu’s decision to award and commence work on the Coastal Road project. They urged that construction begin from the Calabar axis to ensure the road benefits all states in the region.
Further, the governors agreed on the need to explore regional air travel and railway projects to improve transportation connectivity across the South-South states, which are vital for boosting regional commerce and mobility.
In a bid to address fiscal challenges, the South-South governors also proposed extending the VAT sharing percentages to include other sectors contributing to derivation, particularly oil and gas.
The meeting was attended by Governor Pastor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, and host Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State.
The South-South Governors’ Forum expressed their collective commitment to fostering regional cooperation and pushing for policies that would benefit the South-South region and its people.
