Governors of the South-South geo-political zone have unanimously elected Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, as chairman of the South-South Governors Forum. The election took place on Tuesday during the forum’s meeting in Government House, Yenagoa.

Chief Press Secretary to Governor of Bayelsa State, Daniel Alabrah, said in a statement that Cross River Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, emerged as vice chairman of the forum. Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, moved the motion nominating Diri while his Rivers State counterpart, Siminalayi Fubara, seconded it.

Responding, Diri said his emergence as chairman was a call to higher service and promised to serve the forum and the region diligently. He stated that the forum would go beyond issuing communiques to taking action in critical issues that affect the region’s development. “Working together, we have all resolved that our region will not fail. We have seen other regions working while our region was quiet,” Diri said.

In his opening address, Diri outlined the objectives of the forum, which include fostering greater synergy among states, advancing regional investments in critical sectors, and promoting sustainable development and prosperity. He identified South-South regional flight connection as one area of collaboration to ease air travel within the zone.

The governors also expressed support for the ongoing tax reforms of the President Bola Tinubu administration, but urged the president to extend the proposed VAT sharing to other areas of derivation like oil and gas. They argued that the law on oil derivation prescribed a minimum of 13 per cent and that the federal government should consider increasing the amount on oil derivation to states in the region.

The forum appreciated the president for the award and commencement of the coastal road project, but demanded that it equally commence from the Calabar axis to enhance connectivity and stimulate economic development in the region. They also called for the intervention of the federal government in other areas, including the extension of the ongoing remediation of Ogoni land to other polluted environments in the region.

Alabrah said the highpoint of the meeting was the celebration of the birthday of the Rivers governor, Sim Fubara, who turned 50 on Tuesday.