Four South-East Governors Absent At Southern Governors Forum In Enugu

The Nigerian Southern Governors Forum on Thursday expressed satisfaction with the rate at which southern states are enacting anti open grazing laws

Our correspondent reports that only the host Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu state was present at the meeting among the South-East Governors while Ebonyi, Imo and Abia were represented by their Deputy Governors and Governor of Anambra state was absent at the meeting and did not send any representative.

The Southern Governors who rose from a closed day meeting held at Government House Enugu on Thursday said the the enactment of the laws are align with the uniform template and aspiration of Southern Governors

Addressing Joirnalists shortly after the meting, the Chairman of the Southern Governors Forum, Oluwatotimi Aketedolu of Ondo state urged the states that are yet to enact the anti grazing laws to do so expeditiously.

The Southern Governors also encouraged full operationilization of already agreed regional security outfits which would meet share, intelligence and collaborate to ensure the security and safety of the region.

He said “the Nigerian Southern Govenors Forum at its meeting held on Thursday at Goverment House Enugu reviewed the state of the Nation and the progress of implementation of the decisions reached in the previous meetings and reaffirmed its earlier commitment to structural and fiscal federalism as resolved at the inaugural meeting of the forum held on Tuesday, 11th May 2021 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 amendment.
“The meeting resolved to support the position that the collection of VAT falls within the powers of the States,” he added

The Southern Governors Expressed satisfaction with the handling of issues around the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and ownership of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) by the larger Nigerian Governors’ Forum.

“We thereby reiterate our 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,” he said

The Forum thanked the host Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and chose Rivers State as the next host for the Southern Governors’ Forum meeting in November 2021.

Source:- Independent Ng