Governors in the Southwest of Nigeria Monday resolved never to allow political differences to divide them anymore adding that the interest of the people and the region must not only come first before any other things but also guide the actions of the leaders of the region.
These were part of the resolutions adopted by the governors at the Governors’ Economic Forum held in Ibadan. The communiqué was signed by the secretary of the forum, Mr. Dipo Famakinwa, the Director-General DAWN Commission.
In attendance were the governors of Ekiti, Mr. Ayodele Fayose; Lagos, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, Ogun, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; with Ondo represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Rotimi Adelola, Director General, NISER, Professor Victor, Group Managing Director, Odua Investment Limited, Mr. Adewale Raji, and some very high level officials in the region.
At the forum, deliberations focused on developing and agreeing on a common and integrated front for reinforcing regional integration and economic development in Southwest Nigeria.
The focus was on re-establishing the need for strong and implementable decisions that would put the Southwest region back on the path of irreversible progress.
Their communiqué read: “That the interest of the Yoruba people should be in focus at all times, and all politics must be politics of development, that regional cooperation, synergy and economics of scale is important to move the region forward, that good intentions must be backed by sincerity of purpose, that the prosperity of any constituent part is negated if others are not, that political differences should no longer be a barrier to the economic development of the region while the welfare of the people should be foremost, and a regime of continuity, regularity and urgency of interaction is important among the leadership of the region”.
“The States should jointly embark on collaborative programmes in areas of common cooperation identified as needing immediate attention in the region including Security, Education, Transportation Infrastructure, including roads, rail and water transportation, Trade and Commerce linkages, Agriculture, and Sports, and that the DAWN Commission (the regional development agency for pursuing the regional integration agenda of the States of Western Nigeria, comprising Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo) should be vigorously strengthened to coordinate the regional development process.
They further agreed that all the state should work together within the framework of people-centric development, the present crop of governors must bequeath to the people a good legacy reflective of the visions of our founding fathers and common ancestors, that the current Chairman of the Southwest Governors’ Forum, Senator Abiola Ajimobi should also serve as the Chairman of the Commission. DAWN Commission shall develop programmes and activities along the identified areas of cooperation and bring them up for cooperative implementation”.
Governor Fayose who spoke on behalf of the governors, explained that the meeting was being called to discuss several issues of common concern to the region in view of the challenging economic circumstances confronting the nation and its constituent parts.
