By Stephen Simon
President Bola Tinubu has directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, to ensure the timely release of all approved funds accruable to Nigeria’s Regional Development Commissions.
Tinubu gave the directive on Monday at the first North Central Stakeholders’ Development Summit in Abuja, where Akume represented him. The summit focused on a 20-year economic, infrastructure and social development plan for the North Central region.
The President said the Federal Government would continue to provide political and financial support to the commissions to enable them implement projects capable of unlocking economic and industrial opportunities across their respective regions.
He specifically directed the SGF to ensure that funds due to the commissions were released as and when due, stressing that adequate and timely funding was essential for them to discharge their responsibilities effectively.
The Regional Development Commissions were established under the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda to address longstanding development gaps and accelerate infrastructure and economic growth across different parts of the country.
Tinubu, however, warned the commissions against relying solely on government allocations, urging them to explore public-private partnerships, donor funding and development financing for major projects.
He said the commissions should prioritise projects with direct benefits to Nigerians, particularly in transportation, industrialisation, agriculture, security, investment, education, healthcare and human capital development.
The President also warned the boards and management of the commissions against corruption, waste, politicisation, marginalisation and misuse of public resources, saying the government would not tolerate actions capable of undermining their mandate.
Tinubu clarified that the commissions were not created to replace or duplicate the responsibilities of the federal, state or local governments, but to identify and address persistent development gaps.
The North Central Development Commission covers Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory, with responsibilities spanning transportation, agriculture, employment, security, education, healthcare, housing, water and electricity.
The President said the administration expected the commissions to convert the financial and political support being provided into measurable development projects capable of improving the lives of communities across their respective regions.
