President Tinubu assures development commissions of funding as NCDC hosts first stakeholders summit
The President stated this on Monday while declaring open the two-day Stakeholders Development Summit organised by the North Central Development Commission (NCDC) at the Abuja Continental Hotel.
Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, President Tinubu said the creation of Regional Development Commissions was part of the Renewed Hope Agenda of his administration, aimed at accelerating development by addressing gaps that have persisted over the years.
He explained that the Commissions were not established to replace, duplicate or usurp the functions of any tier of government, but rather to identify persistent development gaps and work towards closing them for the benefit of the people.
According to him, the North Central Development Commission and other Regional Development Commissions must not be created to continue with business as usual or replicate approaches that have failed to adequately address developmental challenges in the past.
President Tinubu described the theme of the Summit, “The Great Leap Forward: A 20-Year Economic, Infrastructural and Social Development Plan for the North Central Region,” as well conceived, noting that it indicates the Commission’s determination to be guided by a consensus-generated policy document in its development interventions.
He assured the Commissions of the Federal Government’s political and financial support, saying:
“Government will continue to give the NCDC and other Regional Development Commissions the political and financial backing to embark on key projects that will unlock the economic and industrial potentials of the nation. I therefore direct the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to ensure that all funds accruable to the Commissions are released as and when due.”
Nasarawa State Governor and Chairman of the North Central Governors Forum, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, commended President Tinubu for establishing the NCDC, describing the Commission as an opportunity to unlock the development potential of the region and transform its abundant raw materials into processed goods that would create greater value for the people.
He assured that the North Central Governors were eager and willing to support and partner with the NCDC in developing the region for the benefit of its people.
The Chairman of the Occasion, retired AVM Mohammed Ndatsu Umaru, charged the Commission to identify key projects that would have significant impact on the overall development of the region.
He said development interventions must address identified problems and promote inter-state connectivity, stressing that the NCDC must lay the foundation and establish systems capable of delivering sustainable development across the region.
Retired AVM Umaru also advocated greater synergy among all stakeholders in implementing the 20-year development plan, urging that the document must serve as a practical working instrument on the field and not remain on the shelf.
The Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, disclosed that the Ministry was working on a National Regional Development Policy covering a 30-year period.
He said the Summit demonstrated a clear nexus between the NCDC’s 20-year Great Leap Forward development plan and the proposed National Regional Development Policy, adding that the synergy would strengthen regional development planning and implementation.
Emphasising that integrated regional development requires every region to maximise its comparative advantages, the Minister appealed to the National Assembly to appropriate adequate funding to enable the Regional Development Commissions execute viable development projects.
The Minister of State for Regional Development, Hon. Uba Maigari Ahmadu, said the NCDC had continued to demonstrate its commitment to achieving its mandate through a collective strategy that carries all stakeholders along.
In his remarks, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, said the NCDC had a critical role to play in transforming the North Central Region through industrialisation, value addition, job creation and improvement in the quality of life of the people.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on NCDC, Sen. Titus Zam, said the absence of an integrated regional development platform had impeded progress in the past, adding that the establishment of the Commission was designed to address the challenge.
He stressed the need to urgently address the slow release of funds to the Development Commissions to enable them hit the ground running and effectively deliver on their mandates.
Similarly, the Chairman of the House Committee on NCDC, Rt. Hon. Raheem Tunji Olawuyi, commended the Commission for organising the Summit and expressed hope that its outcome would provide a clear direction for the implementation of projects capable of positively impacting the lives of citizens across the region.
The Chairman of the NCDC Governing Board, Barr. Cosmas Akighir, said the Commission convened the Summit to hear directly from stakeholders and obtain their inputs in determining the key priorities that would drive meaningful development across the region.
He appreciated the support and interest shown by stakeholders, particularly the political leadership at both the regional and national levels.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NCDC, Dr. Cyril Yiltsen Tsenyil, said the Commission was established with responsibilities covering transportation, agriculture, security, entrepreneurship, industrialisation, employment, health, education, housing, water, electricity and telecommunications.
He, however, noted that a mandate alone could not transform a region, stressing that transformation would require vision, political will, private capital, technical competence, institutional cooperation, community participation and, above all, the discipline to think and act regionally.
Dr. Tsenyil stated:
“On behalf of the Governing Board, Management and Staff of the Commission, I make this commitment: we will listen, coordinate, facilitate, partner, mobilise, monitor and remain accountable. We will not promise that every problem of this region can be solved overnight, but every opportunity we identify will receive serious attention. We will not pretend the road ahead is easy, but we will insist that it must be travelled.”
In a keynote address, Prof. Iorwuese Hagher said the North Central Region was endowed with enormous potentials which had largely not been converted into opportunities capable of improving the lives of its people.
He described the establishment of the NCDC as timely and necessary, noting that the younger generation was asking questions that required concrete answers through purposeful development.
Prof. Hagher urged the people and leaders of the North Central to utilise the NCDC as a vehicle for progress, unity and cohesion by leveraging collaboration and cooperation among the states and other stakeholders.
The Summit subsequently proceeded into technical sessions where stakeholders commenced discussions on the priorities, strategies and implementation framework for the proposed 20-year development plan for the North Central Region.
