Gov.  Godwin Obaseki, will on Thursday, January 18, 2024, host Governors of the South-South States for the BRACED (Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta) Commission meeting.

In a statement, the Edo State, Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Mr. Chris Nehikhare, said the meeting would be held in Benin.

The BRACED Commission was established in 2010 under Article 14 of the BRACED Agreement and signed on June 13, 2011.

Its objective is to promote economic cooperation and regional integration, among the South-South States, contributing to the increasing standards of living of the people of the region.

Nehikhare said “The six governors of the South-South region will be meeting in Benin City, the capital of Edo State, on Thursday 18th January 2024 under the auspices of the BRACED Commission.”

“As the chairman of the BRACED Commission Governors’ Council, the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, will host his colleague governors alongside their commissioners of Budget and Planning.

“This first meeting of the South-South governors in 2024 will focus on how to revive and strengthen the BRACED Commission and the region’s aspiration for collective economic development and integration,” he said.

According to him, issues that will be deliberated are issues relating to the security of lives and properties of the region and how to effectively embed its knowledge sharing and peer review mechanism.

Currently, the BRACED Commission has its office in Port Harcourt, Rivers state and it is being administered by the respected Ambassador Joe Keshi.

In the past, the commission has organized regional seminars and conferences all of which focused on capacity building, infrastructure revamp, regional economic integration, security and general development of the BRACED states.

It, however, suffered from poor funding and neglect. It is expected that the meeting will help revive the commission to enable it achieve its vision for the region.