South-South governors set for regional security outfit, to reposition BRACE Commission

The South-South Governors Forum has resolved to revive the BRACE Commission to tackle insecurity and developmental issues in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, saying they had agreed as a zone that there was a need to have a regional security outfit.

Chairman of the forum and Delta State chief executive, Ifeanyi Okowa, said the meeting, which had his colleagues from Edo, Bayelsa and Rivers in attendance, has mandated the BRACE Commission to work out details.

Addressing newsmen after the meeting that lasted for close to three hours in Asaba, Okowa said they have also resolved to engage the presidency on the issue of 13 per cent derivation so that they could be getting well in time before rest of oil funds are shared among the states by the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).

His words: “Five out of the six state governors of the South South geopolitical region have just finished with our South South Forum’s meeting, where far-reaching decisions were taken. We had a very enriching meeting and a decisive decision was taken concerning the BRACE Commission, which was started about 10 years ago by our colleagues, who were governors before us.

“We have agreed to restart the BRACE Commission and ensure we provide the necessary logistics for it to function properly. The commission, as established, was to help us look into the issues of regional economy and the need for us to develop our region collectively, instead of working as individual states.”

He went on: “A lot has been done in terms of documentation in the past. And in the last five years, the commission has almost gone to sleep. But we have agreed we have to restart it with headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, with our next meeting coming up in May in Port Harcourt.

“We have also took on the issues of the NDDC and the need to urge Mr. President to constitute the governing board which has a major role to play in advisory capacity, because we believe there are lots for NDDC to do in terms of regional projects, rather than taking on small projects. This we have to work on as quickly as possible.”

On the ravaging Lassa fever and looming Corona virus, Okowa said the health commissioners of the six states in the zone had been directed to meet and come up with professional advice.

Meanwhile, the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has lauded the decision to set up a regional security outfit to combat criminality.

Its publicity secretary, Ken Robinson, observed that if the governors had not been proactive, the region would have become a safe haven for criminal elements fleeing the South West due to the pressure from that region’s security outfit, Amotekun.

Robinson said the group was elated at the development that would check the incessant attacks on villagers by herdsmen and others acts of criminality.