The six South-West Governors have agreed to set up a special security outfit to combat all forms of banditry and other crimes in the region.

The governors also agreed to establish joint food hubs to address the growing food price inflation and associated challenges and engender regional security.

Lagos State Governor Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu disclosed this while reading out an 11-point communique reached at the end of an extensive Southwest Governors Forum meeting held at Lagos House, Ikeja, on Thursday.

Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Biodun Oyebaniji (Ekiti), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun) and Ademola Adeleke, Osun, were in attendance.

The closed-door meeting, which started at 12:15 p.m. after the arrival of all the governors, focused on common interests and key regional issues, including security, agriculture, food security, economic collaboration, and the South-West Development Commission.

Thursday’s meeting was a follow-up to a similar one held in Lagos on June 10, 2024, where Sanwo-Olu was unanimously appointed as Chairman of the Forum.

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Since its last meeting, the forum, led by Governor Sanwo-Olu, has prioritised policies aimed at strengthening regional developments in the South-West zone.

The forum also commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for the economic stability and improvement recorded across the nation and the stabilization of the exchange rate. They urged the citizens to continue to support and cooperate with the administration in strengthening the economy.

After extensive deliberations on key issues affecting the South West region, Sanwo-Olu said the Forum resolved in a communique as follows:

The forum commends President Tinubu

“The Forum commends President Bola Tinubu, GCFR, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for the economic stability and improvements recorded across the nation, particularly in the sustained supply and distribution of petroleum products and the stabilization of the exchange rate. The Forum urges citizens to continue supporting the President’s efforts to strengthen the economy and improve the overall well-being of Nigerians.

Supports Student Loan Scheme

“The Forum applauds the Federal Government for the successful implementation of the Student Loan Scheme under the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which has benefited South West students in tertiary institutions. It encourages all eligible students in the region to take full advantage of this initiative to access higher education, vocational training, and skills acquisition programs.

Congratulates Ondo State Governor

“The Forum congratulates His Excellency, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, on his victory in the Ondo State Gubernatorial Election held on November 16, 2024.

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Regional security, peace

“The Forum commends the South-West Governors for maintaining relative peace and security in the region, particularly during the recent festive period. It calls on all States to continue fostering peaceful coexistence among member States.

Condemns ISWAP activities

“Acknowledging the threat posed by ISWAP activities in parts of the South West, the Forum strongly condemns any threat to the region’s security. It encourages enhanced collaboration between the Nigeria Police Force and local security outfits, urging them to remain vigilant. The Forum also commits to taking necessary actions to counter these threats.

Establishment of Joint Security Surveillance

“The Forum agreed to establish a Joint Surveillance Monitoring Team to oversee and coordinate security efforts across the South West region. As part of this resolution, the Forum has committed to deploying advanced technology, including aerial surveillance systems, to enhance security operations. Additionally, the Forum resolved its Special Advisers on Security collaborates on intelligence gathering and sharing between State security agencies, local security networks, and federal law enforcement authorities among Southeast states.

S’West Devt Commission, SWDC

“The Forum commends the Federal Government and the Senate for establishing the South West Development Commission (SWDC) and collectively agreed to situate its headquarters at Cocoa House, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Odu’a Investment Coy Ltd

“The Forum acknowledges the efforts of Odu’a Investment Company Ltd. in efficiently managing joint assets of the South-West region over the past five years. It also commends the company’s Board and Management for the ongoing redevelopment of Premier Hotel in Ibadan, Oyo State, and the proposed redevelopment of the Lagos Airport Hotel in Lagos State. Furthermore, the Forum applauds Odu’a Investment Company’s proposed investments in other key sectors of the economy, aimed at driving sustainable economic growth and development across the Southwest region.

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Food security measures

“Recognizing the need for food security, the Forum encourages collaboration among South West States to implement collective measures aimed at curbing food inflation in the region.

Curbing food price inflation

“The Forum expresses concern over the activities of unscrupulous middlemen who deliberately inflate prices of goods and commodities in Southwest markets. It has, therefore, agreed to establish a State Food Inflation Joint Monitoring Team and also the establishment of Aggregation Centre /Food Hubs to foster inter-state collaboration and mitigate food inflation.

Commends DAWN Commission

“The Forum commends the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission for its improved performance over the past twelve months and encourages it to continue working diligently with Southwest Commissioners for Agriculture on industrialization and infrastructural development across the region.”
(VANGUARD)