November 27, 2017: The South-East and South-South Governors’ Forum have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to increase allocation to the states from the Federation Account.
The governors made the call in a communiqué at the end of the forum’s meeting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, Southern Nigeria.
The Committee expressed concern that the revenue accruing to states has not reflected the increase in crude oil price and production level. In a communiqué signed by its Chairman, Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom state, the governors said proposed that the Federal Government should relinquish all federal roads to states.
“The forum, therefore, urges the Federal Government to ensure improved revenue allocation to the states to reflect the current realities to enable the states to meet the yearnings and expectations of their people.
“The forum also proposed that the Federal Government should relinquish all federal roads to states, where such roads are located, facilitate legislation that would ease concession of the roads ” the communiqué read.
The forum also appealed to the government for current intervention on critical infrastructure located in the South-South and South-East , including airports in Calabar, Enugu, Imo and Port Harcourt as well as roads in the zones.
The governors expressed concern over an alleged shoddy approach to infrastructural development by some intervention agencies of the Federal Government operating in the regions.
The appealed to the Federal Government to direct the agencies to liaise with state governments in the identification and execution of projects.
The forum believes that the approach would ensure that projects carried out by intervention agencies were in synergy with the developmental agenda of the states.
The meeting was also attended by Rochas Okorocha of Imo, Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu.
Others were Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, Ivara Esu and Dr Nkem Okeke, both Deputy Governors of Cross River and Anambra.
NAN