By Deborah Coker
The Ijaw National Congress (INC) Worldwide has called on the South-South Governors’ Forum to prioritise the establishing regional independent power projects to ensure stable electricity supply across the area.
Prof. Benjamin Okaba, President, INC Worldwide, made the call in his congratulatory message to Gov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa, on his emergence as the chairman, South-south Governors Forum.
Okaba’s message which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Abuja, on Wednesday, also tasked the forum on sponsoring and influencing bills for the creation of Toru-ebe State from Delta, Edo, and Ondo States.
He said the bill should also facilitate the creation of Oil Rivers State from Rivers and Akwa Ibom.
He also urged the forum to push for a regional oil refinery, railway network, sea ports and large-scale ocean fishing and farming consortiums to boost economic diversification and job creation in the region.
“We totally align ourselves with all these demands, which we have echoed and re-ecohed in our position papers on the state of the nation and the Niger Delta.
‘’The INC remains optimistic that under Gov. Diri’s leadership, the South-South Governors’ Forum will make significant strides toward achieving these developmental goals.
‘’We reiterate our unwavering support for the new chairman and the entire Forum, urging them to unite across party boundaries in addressing the challenges facing the South-South region.
‘’The leadership of the Ijaw nation and other South-South ethnic nationalities are willing and determined to cooperate or partner with the South-South Governors Forum,’’ he said.
He said this would make for the actualisation of collective dreams for a more united, peaceful, progressive and prosperous South-south region.
“This will birth a region that is so blessed with natural resources that has contributed immensely to the growth and development of this nation,’’ he said.
Okaba, who also doubles as the Chairman of Conference of Presidents-General of Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities, said that the emergence of the Bayelsa governor as the chairman of the forum was well deserved.
He also said that it underscored the confidence and trust reposed on him by his counterparts, adding that the development came as a pleasant news to all Ijaw people and the entire people of south-south region.
‘’We at the INC commend the governors for their collective commitment to the development of the South-South region,’’ he said.
(NAN)