By Jessica Osajie / Posted January 29, 2025
In a BRACED Commission meeting on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at Government House in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, governors of the South-South region of Nigeria resolved to set up a regional security network to enhance the safety for its people.
BRACED is an acronym for Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross River, Edo and Delta States in Nigeria.
Subscribe To The Best Team In Conservative, Business, Technology, Lifestyle And Digital News Realtime! support@ddnewsonline.com
This is a significant development for the South-South region, especially regarding security and infrastructure. The decision to establish a regional security network aligns with similar initiatives in other parts of Nigeria, like Amotekun in the Southwest and Ebube Agu in the Southeast. Given the security challenges in the Niger Delta, this could be a strategic move to protect lives, businesses, and economic assets.
During the meeting the governor urged the Federal Government to expedite the completion of the East-West Road, a critical infrastructure that links the region’s states.
In a communique issued after the meeting, the governors also expressed support for President Bola Tinubu’s Tax Reform Bill, with a caveat.
They urged the President to extend the proposed VAT sharing percentages to other areas of derivation, such as oil and gas.
The forum, which comprises governors from Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, and Rivers states, emphasized the need for unity and collaborative governance in addressing the region’s challenges.
They also called for the activation of the railway line in Port Harcourt and its connection to other states in the region.
Other key resolutions from the meeting include:
- Regional Security: Establishing a robust, structured regional security network to enhance safety and security in the South-South.
- Economic Diversification: Encouraging member states to broaden their economic horizons by diversifying beyond oil and gas.
- BRACED Commission: Reinvigorating the BRACED Commission to better represent the interests and aspirations of communities in the region.
Subscribe To The Best Team In Conservative, Business, Technology, Lifestyle And Digital News Realtime! support@ddnewsonline.com
Earlier, the governors unanimously picked Douye Diri, as chairman of the South-South Governors’ Forum.
Cross River Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, emerged as vice chairman of the forum.
Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, moved the motion nominating Diri while his Rivers State counterpart, Siminalayi Fubara, seconded it.
NOTE: Jessica is on Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) at DDNEWSONLINE.COM from the Department of Mass Communication, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).