Gov Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State is now the chairman, Forum of Governors in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) States.
Uduaghan was elected after a meeting of the governors of the nine states in the Federal Interventionist Agency recently at Government House, Port Harcourt.
Rivers State and host governor, Chief Chibuike Amaechi, who briefed journalists after the meeting, also said the forum has agreed to refocus the commission to concentrate on two core areas of rail and power.
In the light of this, Amaechi stated that the governors who are to play advisory role as directed by President Goodluck Jonathan has called on the commission to complete all ongoing projects.
He further stated that the forum agreed that the agency should focus on projects that would provide unity amongst the states, "so that we can have communication amongst ourselves and enhance our moving from one point to the other".
Speaking with reporters shortly after the meeting, the new chairman of the NDDC States Governors, Uduaghan, assured that his tenure would focus on ensuring that the agency completes all abandoned projects.
He further remarked that "On moving forward, we believe that they should focus more on regional projects on the two main areas of rail and power".
He stressed that henceforth, NDDC budgeting process would have to give more priority to regional projects to drive unity and economic developments of the states.
Also at the meeting were Governors Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom; Theodore Orji of Abia; Olusegun Mimiko, Ondo; Owelle Rochas Okorocha of Imo and Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa. The chairman and managing director of NDDC, Dr Tarilah Tebepah and Dr Christian Oboh were also at the meeting.