Nigerian Governors under the aegis of South-East/South-South Governors Forum, have expressed concern over the revenue accruing to the states from the federation account, which they say do not reflect the "increase in prices as well as production capacity of oil" in the country.
According to Premium Times, in a communique they issued after their meeting on Sunday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, the governors urged the federal government "to ensure improved revenue allocation to the states to reflect the current realities to enable the states meet the yearnings and expectations of their people."
The seven governors and two deputy governors who attended the meeting are; Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State; Rochas Okorocha of Imo State; Nyesom Wike of Rivers State; Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa; Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta; Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu; and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia.
The governors said in the communique: "Worried about the abysmal state of road infrastructure in the zones, The forum proposed that the federal government relinquishes all 'federal' roads to states where such roads are located and facilitate legislation that would ease concession of the roads.
"In the interim, the forum appeals to the federal government to intervene urgently to improve on the current state of some critical infrastructural facilities located in the zone. Some of these facilities include: The Port Harcourt International Airport; The Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar; The Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, Sam Mbakwe International Airport; and several other roads located in the zone.
"The forum noted the rather shoddy approach to infrastructural development by some intervention agencies of the federal government operating in the regions and appealed to the federal government to urge these agencies to liaise with the respective state governments in the identification and execution of infrastructural projects.
"The forum believes that this approach will ensure that the projects carried out by the intervention agencies are in sync with the developmental agenda of the respective states and will lead to better standards of project execution," the governors added.
The South-East/South-South Governors Forum is aimed at forging an economic and political alliance between Nigeria's South-south and South-east regions.
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