Governors of the South-South and South-East geo-political zones yesterday met at Government House Port Harcourt where they discussed regional and economic integration to enhance the development of the area.
In his welcome address, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike said: “Even in contemporary Nigeria, we still share the same or similar challenges, including insecurity, poverty and under-development despite the best of efforts by the constituent State governments. Today, the two regions are the most politically and economically marginalised within the nation, environmentally degraded and deliberated neglected by the federal government in appointments and provisions of basic development infrastructures.”
The governor noted that, “none of the airports and seaports located in the  regions is reasonably functional, while  the few federal roads are not in good shape, neither are the two regions linked by any rail services.”
Wike said: “From geo-strategic economic perspective, therefore, there is an urgent need to establish and link our cities with railways and super highways; to provide viable and affordable flight services between our cities, and to ensure that cargoes are brought into the country and the regions through our seaports, jetties and ferry services as a veritable means of stimulating economic growth and social progress across our two regions.
“Also, we are all aware that economic growth and social progress are possible only in a peaceful and secure environment. And much as we try to tackle this menace in our respective States by providing the necessary logistic support to the security agencies, perceptions of insecurity are on the rise, doing significant damage to our investment climate, thereby, preventing reasonable inflow of direct foreign and local investment into the regions.”
He urged his colleagues to “be confident in the rightness of our course and clear in our considerations that we have been and would continue to be worse off without the will to exploit our political and economic complementarities to drive our ways into political, economic and social prosperity.
“Above all, we must continue to demand the devolution of powers and resources to the states as well as the institutionalisation of State police, now that there is national consensus on these issues.”
Chairman of the South-South and South-East Governors Forum and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel urged the governors of the two regions to form a common front for socio-economic  development.
He described  the meeting as a new beginning  for  the two geo-political zones for the  good of  her people.
Governor Emmanuel  expressed delight that the governors set aside impediments  to chart a new direction. He charged the two regions to work together for prosperity.
He said: “Federal presence in the region is minimal and only seen in the presence  of policemen.”
He called for the development  of  an industrial  framework  that will enhance development and noted that the regions were better of united than divided.
He urged Nigerians to continue to strive for the unity of the country.
In attendance were Akwa Ibom Governor, Udom Emmanuel, Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike of Rivers State, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State and Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State
Others were Acting  Governor of Bayelsa State, Rear Admiral  Gboribiogha John Jonah, Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr Nkem Okeke, Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu and Cross River State, Prof. Ivara Esu.

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