Amid dwindling oil resources and the consequent drop in state allocation from the Federation Account, some governors from the Southern geopolitical zone of Nigeria have jointly advocated for a regional integration and economic co-operation among states of the federation.
The governors, who spoke at the sub-national session of the ongoing 21st National Economic Summit (#NES21), Rauf Aregbesola, Abiola Ajimobi, Ibikunle Amosun, and Willie Obiano of Osun, Oyo, Ogun and Anambra states, respectively, took turns to buttress the need for states to return to the good old days of regional integration for better and faster development of their states cum region.
Aregbesola said states in Nigeria were atomised and could hardly make much impact individually.
“We inherited a legacy from the late sage, Obafemi Awolowo, competiveness for our region. Those who are talking about states, I laugh at them, the states in Nigeria are so atomised, there is hardly anything really they can do as a state. Yes, you can make effort, but regions are better placed to advance the economic interest of their people, working together.
“The comparable advantage of the south western part of Nigeria is the fact that we have Lagos State where by its location there is a huge concentration of people that can serve as a market for agricultural produce from the hinterland. So, we have worked hard in developing the potentials of our people for modern agriculture,” Aregbesola said.
In his own contribution, Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, while emphasising on the importance of regional integration and cooperation, disclosed, “over 50 percent of the middle and lower cadre of the work force in Lagos State live in Ogun State.
“They put pressure on us in Ogun State, but then they pay their taxes to Lagos State government. However, in the area of IGR, of course we are leveraging on our proximity to Lagos and I hope that they are listening now so that they will continue to pay us all our dues.”
On his part, Willie Obiano of Anambra State, while harping on the importance of cooperation among states for accelerated economic development, said his government was working with the Enugu State government to see how investors could develop coal.
According to him, Enugu has coal in abundance and that they were looking at a scenario were the two states could share the power generated from the coal power project.
He also hinted that his government was working with Delta State government on the issue of waste management.
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