Okowa Talks Tough On Creation Of Regional Security Outfit For South-South

Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa has reinstated the commitment of his fellow governors in the region on the planned creation of regional security outfit in the south-south.

Speaking during an interview on Sunday Politics, Governor Okowa said regardless of some criticisms trailing the move, he and his colleagues will not be deterred by some negative comments.

According to him, the governors decided to create the outfit to address the security challenges facing the region for the overall good of the people.

“The fact is that whatever you do, even when you mean the best for our state and the best for this nation, you always have a statement of people turning it into politics and some people will want to criticise you.“But as governors, ours is to do things in the best interests of the states and in the best interest in the larger majority of the people. We cannot stop people from playing politics out of whatever we do.

“We are not going to be deterred by the criticisms of some group of people. We are elected as governors to do the best we can to secure our people and to bring development to our people,” he stated.

Speaking further, the Delta State helmsman noted that the regional governors do not need to seek permission from anybody or group before carrying out their constitutional responsibility.

He believes that following a joint meeting, there is an urgent “need to share a security approach. There is a need to support the security agencies – the police, military with the civilian outfit so that collaboratively, we can truly become more efficient.”

Okowa’s comment comes shortly after the Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators (CNDA) warned the South-South governors against establishing a regional security outfit.

In a statement, the group accused the governors of having an ulterior political motive behind the move for the outfit.