Nigeria Southern Governors End Their Meeting In Enugu State
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By Benjamin Kalu, Abia State
The Nigerian Southern Governor’s Forum meeting has just ended in Enugu State, the forum reiterating their earlier position that the next President of Nigeria must come from the Southern part of Nigeria in line with politics of equity, justice and fairness.
This was contained in a seven point Communique read by the Chairman of Southern Governor’s Forum and Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN at the end of their crucial meeting which among other things encouraged the full operationalization of already agreed regional Security outfits, which would meet, share intelligence and collaborate, to ensure the Security and safety of the region.
The Communique which said the Forum reviewed the State of the nation and the progress of implementation of the decisions reached in their previous meetings, expressed satisfaction with the rate at which the States in the Southern Nigeria are enacting or amending the Anti -Open Grazing Laws which align with the uniform template and aspiration of Southern Governors and encouraged the States that are yet to enact this law to do so expeditiously.
Communique also reaffirmed its earlier commitment to Structural and Fiscal federalism as resolved at the inaugural meeting of the Forum held on Tuesday, eleventh May at Asaba, Delta State and emphasized the need for the Southern States to leverage the legislative competence of their respective State Houses of Assembly as well as representation in the National Assembly to pursue its inclusion in the Nigerian Constitution through the ongoing Constitutional amendments.
The Forum also resolved to support the position that the collection of VAT fall within the powers of the States and lauded the handling of issues around the Petroleum Industry Bill and
ownership of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation by the larger Nigerian Governor’s Forum.
The Southern Governors thanked their host and Governor of Enugu State, Dr.Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and announced that the next meeting coming up in November will be held in Rivers State.
The meeting attracted the presence of Southern Governors including that of Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie lkpeazu, who was represented by his Deputy, Ude Oko Chukwu among others.
