Regional Integration: South South Governors To Meet In Benin

By Ayodele Oni

After years of lull in their activities, Governors of the South South geo political zone of the country are set to reconvene on Thursday in Benin City, Edo state.

Governor Godwin Obaseki, will be hosting governors from Delta, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross Rivers, Edo, and Rivers State, popularly called BRACED states, to discuss various developmental issues including regional cooperation.

Reacting to the proposed meeting, Chief Monday Wehere, stated that the revival of the BRACED Commission through the hosting of its 2024 maiden meeting by the Edo State Governor, His Excellency, Godwin Obaseki, is a welcome development towards regional integration of South South States of Nigeria.

Wehere who is President of BRACED Union, in a Press Release on Wednesday in Benin City,  welcomes all governors of the South-South region to Edo State, while wishing them fruitful delibrations.

The Statement urged Governors of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross Rivers, Delta, Edo, and Rivers State, to sustain the tempo as the survival of the region is non-negotiable.

“This maiden meeting of BRACED governors in Edo State on Thursday, January 18th, 2024, after some years of lull, shall resuscitate the ailing commission and give a breath of fresh air to agitations of the region in terms of economic and security challenges.

“The power of togetherness, unity and harmony cannot be over emphasized. We call on the BRACED governors to give bite to their commitment on the concerns of people of the region which, we in the BRACED Union, have been on the fore front to galvanize support and mobilize human and material resources in support of BRACED objectives.”

The BU President urged the governors to carry the members of BU and the BRACED Commission along in the scheme of things in order to better the lot of grassroots followers.

“Issues of regional integration and security should be at the front burner with the need for a regional security outfit to curb rising spate of kidnappings, oil thievery, economic sabotage and all that are germaine to the development of the South-South region as the goose that lays the golden egg.

“The BRACED governors must bring to the fore the need to press on the Federal Government legalize artisanal refineries to enhance economic main stay of the region and empower youths to be self employed and employers of labour.

“These and others, we at BRACED Union, with over ten thousand memberships across the six states of the region, are ready to work with the BRACED Commission which should be resuscitated in earnest to implement the plans and programmes of the Commission.”