Nigeria: ACN, CPC Flay South-South Regional Pact

Daily Independent (Lagos)

Daniel Abia

17 June 2011

Opposition parties in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital have come out strongly to condemn the recent regional cooperation pact signed by the governors of the six south-south states.

The parties expressed fear that the effectiveness of the planned regional development designed to be regulated by Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta states Commission, (BRACED) is a “suspect”.

Reacting differently to the outcome of the meeting by the south-south Governors’ Forum in Port Harcourt on Monday, the state chairman of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Chief Mike Nweligha, alleged that the inexplicable absence of the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Obong Godswill Akpabio “was enough to cast doubt on the sincerity of the planners of the project”.

Mike who expressed delight that the decision for a regional cooperation was a welcome idea that was capable of taking the Niger Delta area out of the woods, regretted that there was no sincerity on the part of the governors because “they don’t seem to love themselves, hence, the forum lacks trust and sincerity”.

The state CPC boss explained that the project of developing the region could be achieved if the states can pool enough resources to prosecute the planned projects, adding that personal misunderstanding should not over-ride the desire to turn around the fortunes of the region that has been neglected by each succeeding government.

He blamed the absence of Governor Akpabio on his unwillingness to comply with the Supreme Court ruling on the 86 oil wells, stating that the interest of the region was far more than that of a particular state or individual.

Speaking in the same vein, the Rivers state publicity secretary of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Jerry Needam, said signing of pact was not a guarantee for the development of the region, querying cynically what positive impact each of the Governors has brought to bear in their respective states.

Jerry tasked the governors to appreciate the electorate that voted them to power by implementing the new minimum wage law. “Let them pay the N18,000 minimum wage first before we talk about Regional Corporation.

“It is a white elephant project. It is a tactical way of looting the treasury. Better still, they want to empower few of their political friends.”

The ACN spokesman in the state warned that the south-south governors should be more wary about the poor security situation in the region which is a key element in development process.

Jerry urged the governors to improve the living standards of their people as a way of proving to the outside world that they were ready to cooperate for the development of the south-south region.

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