The governors of Nigeria’s South-South geopolitical zone met on Tuesday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, to deliberate on regional challenges and future collaboration. At the meeting held at the Government House, the governors unanimously elected Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, as the new Chairman of the South-South Governors’ Forum. His Cross River State counterpart, Bassey Otu, was named the Vice Chairman.
It is worth noting that the nomination process was smooth, with Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, moving the motion for Diri’s election, which was seconded by Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara. Akwa Ibom Governor, Umo Eno, attended the meeting, while Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, was notably absent.
In his acceptance speech, Diri framed his appointment as a call to higher service, underscoring the collective responsibility of all South-South governors in driving the region’s development. He expressed a commitment to not only issue communiqués but to also take concrete action on key regional issues.
“This office is not for me alone; it is a collective task to push our region forward,” Diri said. “Together, we will foster greater synergy among our states and focus on key sectors like security, agriculture, education, power, environment, tourism, and youth empowerment through sports, ICT, and entrepreneurship.”
One of the major areas Diri highlighted for future collaboration was improving regional flight connections to ease air travel within the zone. He stressed the importance of working together on practical solutions to overcome logistical challenges and improve accessibility.
In their communiqué, the governors voiced support for President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing tax reforms, particularly the proposed Value Added Tax (VAT) sharing system. However, they urged the president to consider extending the VAT-sharing arrangement to other sectors, especially oil and gas, to better reflect the region’s contributions to the national economy.
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It bears mentioning that the meeting marked a moment in the South-South region’s governance, with the newly elected forum leadership setting the stage for increased collaboration and targeted development efforts across the six states.
