Following the setting up of the South West Security Network popularly knows Amotekun by the southwest governors, the six south-south governors rose from a meeting yesterday in Asaba, Delta State and announced the resolve to establish a common security outfit tackle insecurity plaguing the geo-political zone.
Governors who attended that meeting were Mr. Mr. Godwin Obaseki (Edo State), Mr. Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Mr. Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Mr. Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom) and host governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta).
Addressing the media after the meeting, Okowa who took over the chairmanship of the South-South Governors’ Forum from the former governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, said apart from the regional security outfit, the Forum also resolved to insist on full implementation of the 13 per cent oil derivation as well as adopt a regional approach in tackling coronavirus (COVID-19).
He also said the governors mandated the economic think tank of the six states, BRACED, to work out the details of the proposed security outfit and brief the Forum at its next meeting scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt in May.
“We also took the issue on security, and we have agreed as a region that there is the need to have a regional security outfit. And, we have mandated the BRACED Commission to begin to work out the details and to brief us at our next meeting in Port Harcourt.”
“We also took other decisions concerning Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and the need to insist that 13 per cent 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 per cent 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,’’ said Okowa.
On the issue of COVID-19, Okowa said although no case of the disease was reported in the region, it was necessary for the governors to prepare collectively on how to tackle it when it occurred, adding that action was also being taken on Lassa Fever epidemic.
“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,” he added.
On BRACED, Okowa said the governors had decided to resuscitate it after 10 years hiatus.
“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,’’ he said.
