S’South Govs Must Work Together For Regional Dev’t — Fubara

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has called on governors of the South-South geopolitical zone to work together to create lasting synergies that will drive the sustainable development of the Niger Delta region. He made the statement on Saturday when he hosted his Bayelsa State counterpart, Senator Douye Diri, and a delegation of leaders from Rivers State at the Government House in Port Harcourt for a Christmas visit.

Governor Fubara stressed the importance of collaboration between states in the South-South, pointing out that without such cooperation, the region would struggle to achieve meaningful and long-term development. He highlighted the interconnectedness of the region, noting that many Bayelsans live in Rivers while working in Bayelsa, making a regional approach to issues like security, infrastructure, and business easier and more effective.

He said, “One of the assignments I will want His Excellency, Governor of Bayelsa to carry on with is this: let us strengthen the BRACED Commission. The BRACED Commission has the interest of our zone, so we can’t talk about development in Rivers State alone. If you solve only the problems of Rivers State, criminals might flee to Akwa Ibom State or elsewhere, and return to commit crimes. We must create synergies across Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Bayelsa, Delta, and Edo states to truly solve our regional problems.”

Fubara expressed his gratitude for the Christmas visit and emphasized the mutual support between their administrations. He also underscored the responsibility of both states to protect oil resources in the region, both onshore and offshore, and the critical need for peace to drive development.

“We have a responsibility to protect the oil resources, the oil investments, both offshore and onshore, and the pipelines. It is crucial, and we are doing our best to ensure their safety. There is also the issue of internal security, which we spend significant resources on to maintain peace in our volatile region. Without peace, there can be no development,” Fubara said.

On his part, Governor Diri of Bayelsa State reflected on the longstanding bond between the two states, highlighting common traits such as ethnicity, culture, and social ties. He praised Fubara for his leadership and the peaceful relationship between the two states, particularly in resolving past conflicts.

Diri also recalled the dispute over the Soku Oil Wells, which had previously generated tensions between the states. However, both governors have now agreed to return to the status quo on the matter and directed their attorneys general to take appropriate legal steps, ensuring relative peace between the two states on this issue.

“We have had a lot of understanding, even in areas where we had previous disagreements. The Soku Oil Wells dispute generated significant tension, but we have now agreed to go back to the status quo, and our attorneys general have already taken action to resolve the matter amicably,” Diri said.

He further acknowledged that despite past challenges, the relationship between Rivers and Bayelsa has improved significantly since Governor Fubara took office, with both states now working closely to address their boundary issues and resolve conflicts in a peaceful manner.