Southwest governors back state police, mull regional economic integration
The governors of the South-west states have given support to the proposal for state police, in liaison with the regional security outfit, Amoteku, in order to address the peculiar security challenges bedeviling the country.
The governors, on the aegis of South-West Governors’ Forum, at the end of their meeting in Lagos, Monday, agreed to strengthen the DAWN Commission, on operational efficiency and charges it to focus on economic integration, cooperation and investment promotion of South-West states.
The Forum reviewed security across the region, pointing out that South-West had been relatively peaceful in the Southern part of the country. They, however, used to platform to renew their call for creation of State Police to further strengthen safety in the region.
They agreed on the need to forge security cooperation in order to enhance economic development and free movement within the region.
“We reaffirm our full support for State Police. We acknowledge the efforts of the Federal Government to strengthen food security. We decide that Commissioners for Agriculture of all the South-West states should begin to meet and set up a working template, which will ensure collaboration based on each State’s comparative advantage.”
In a communiqué at the end of the meeting held behind closed doors in Alausa, Lagos, the governors resolved on the regional economic integration, food production and security of the people of the region as key to their survival as an entity.
“The Forum agrees to strengthen the DAWN Commission on operational efficiency and charges the Commission to focus on economic integration, cooperation and investment promotion of South-West states. To that end, each State is mandated to appoint a State focal person,” Sanwo-Olu who chaired the meeting said.
The governors also called for more collaboration between security agencies and Western Nigeria Security Network, the Amotekun Corps.
To expand food production and agricultural development, the Forum also directed their respective States’ Commissioners for Agriculture to immediately come together and develop a comprehensive agricultural template that would leverage on each State’s comparative advantage.
At the meeting were Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti) and Sanwo-Olu (Lagos) were all physically present at the meeting, which lasted for four hours. They all paid their last respects to the memory of the late Akeredolu, who passed away last December.
