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Forum seeks remediation of polluted oil communities
From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has emerged as the Chairman of the South-South Governors’ Forum.
Diri’s emergence followed a motion moved by Delta State Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, and seconded by Rivers State Governor, Sim Fubara, during a meeting held at the Bayelsa State Government House, Yenagoa.
The governors also unanimously endorsed Cross River State Governor, Prince Bassey Edet Otu, to serve as the Vice-Chairman.
Before his emergence, the governors in attendance, including Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, Otu, Oborevwori, and Fubara, commended Diri for convening the meeting, which they stated was long overdue.
In their separate remarks, they lamented the dire situation in the South-South region and expressed confidence in Diri’s ability to pilot its affairs.
The governors pledged not to allow party affiliations to divide them in taking a unified stance on national issues affecting the people of the South-South region.
In his acceptance speech, Diri described his new role as a call to service, aimed at galvanising the South-South region towards development and enabling it to take its rightful place in Nigeria.
In a communiqué issued after a closed-door session, the forum expressed its commitment to collaborative governance to advance the well-being of the South-South people.
The forum commended President Bola Tinubu for commencing work on the coastal road and appealed for construction to begin from the Calabar axis.
While acknowledging ongoing works on the East-West Road, the forum emphasised the need to expedite its completion to facilitate the movement of goods and services.
The forum also urged relevant stakeholders and agencies to extend environmental remediation efforts in Ogoni to other polluted areas in the region.
Additionally, it endorsed President Tinubu’s Tax Bill, stressing that the proposed VAT sharing percentage should be extended to other areas of derivation, such as oil and gas.