Stakeholders in the South-South have charged governors in the region to be more intentional, and match words with actions to improve the lot of people in the region, saying they are tired of bogus communiqu?s and promises.

The stakeholders regretted that since 1999, the governors have not made any significant impact in the region, stating that their meetings had been mere fanfare of political gatherings.

The call followed the South-South Governors Forum meeting in Bayelsa State on Tuesday, where the newly elected Chairman, Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa, said the forum will champion a new drive for robust regional integration and development.

The forum was said to have jettisoned achieving the region?s objectives through the BRACED Commission, saying previous meetings, particularly under the auspices of the BRACED (Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta) Commission did not yield the necessary results, expressing hope that the new direction under Diri will open a new vista for the region.

However, the Ijaw National Congress (INC) said the region has the potential to create employment, improve agriculture, education, environment, power, security, trade, industries, empower the youths and create wealth for the people, regretting that such has not been achieved due to lack of unity and political differences among the governors.

The National Publicity Secretary of INC, Ezonebi Oyakemeagbegha, in an interview, said it was good that the forum acknowledged that there have been lapses towards achieving the regional?s mandate, but insisted that what the people want to see now is results and not talks as usual. He said: ?What we want as a people is performance and development in the region. We are tired of seeing communiqu?s.?

Oyakemeagbegha said political differences have been the major challenge facing the forum, urging the governors to be more intentional and proactive towards realising the regional goals. He expressed confidence in the leadership of Diri to bring the much-desired impacts.

Similarly, the Chairman of the South-South of Elders Forum, Anabs Saro-Igbe, said there?s a need for a regional meeting that will discuss critical issues and solutions in the region.

Saro-Igbe lamented that the region does not have trade, and no proper supervision of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), among many other issues.

He, however, advised the governors to work in unity and peace to bring the desired development. (The Guardian)

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