The Governors of the
South-South states on Thursday announced their resolution to establish a
regional security outfit to stem increasing criminal activities in the region.
The governors, who met in Asaba, also resolved to insist on full
implementation of 13 percent Derivation and to adopt a regional approach in
tackling Coronavirus Disease otherwise known as Covid-19.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting, Chairman of South-South
Governors’ Forum, Sen, (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, said that BRACED
Commission, the economic think-tank of the region, had been mandated to work
out the details of the proposed security outfit.
According to him, the commission will brief the governors on the
details of the outfit at their next meeting to be held in Port Harcourt in May.
"We also took other decisions concerning Federation Account
Allocation Committee (FAAC) and the need to insist that 13 percent Derivation
must first be taken out of the funds that come from oil before the rest of the
funds is shared at FAAC.
``The 13 percent is supposed to be for the oil-producing states
and that has not been the situation for a very long time and we agreed as
Governors, to take up this matter at the appropriate levels.
"We also took a decision on Niger Delta Development
Commission (NDDC) and the need to urge President Muhammadu Buhari to constitute
the Advisory Board of the Commission because it has a major role to play,
though in an advisory capacity.
``This is because we believe that there is a need to reposition
NDDC to take on regional projects rather than small projects, and this we are
going to pursue as quickly as possible,’’ the chairman said.
He stated that though no case of Coronavirus had been reported
in the region, it was necessary for the governors to collectively be prepared
on how to tackle it when it occurred, adding that action was also being taken
over Lassa Fever epidemic.
Consequently, Okowa said that Commissioners for Health in the
six states of the region, ``who are experienced in medical protocols, will need
to meet.
``I am aware that individual states have taken steps to tackle
this outbreak but the six commissioners from the South-South States are going
to meet almost immediately to take a further look into how to contain these
diseases, especially Lassa Fever.
``They are also to look into how to tackle the issues
collectively of the Coronavirus in case it extends to our region. At the
moment, we do not have any case of it in the South-South, but it is important
that we prepare ourselves in case of any spread in our region.
``So, the commissioners will meet and share ideas on how best to
tackle these diseases."
The Forum’s Chairman also disclosed that the governors had
decided to revive BRACED Commission, established 10 years ago but had been
dormant for some years.
According to him, we have decided to provide the necessary
logistics for the commission to function properly, because the commission as
established, is to help us (South-South) to look into issues of regional
economy.
``We need to develop our region collectively instead of working
as individual states.
"A lot has been done in the past in terms of documentation
and we have agreed to resuscitate it with the headquarters in Port-Harcourt,
Rivers,’’ Okowa added.
Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers and his counterparts of Edo, Godwin
Obaseki; Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom and Duoye Diri of Bayelsa attended the
meeting.
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