President Bola Tinubu has directed the timely release of funds to Nigeria’s Regional Development Commissions, while warning their boards and managements against corruption, waste, politicisation and the execution of projects that do not directly benefit Nigerians….
President Bola Tinubu has directed the timely release of funds to Nigeria’s Regional Development Commissions, while warning their boards and managements against corruption, waste, politicisation and the execution of projects that do not directly benefit Nigerians.
Tinubu gave the directive on Monday while declaring open the first North Central Stakeholders Development Summit, organised by the North Central Development Commission, NCDC, in Abuja.
The President, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, said the Federal Government would provide the commissions with the political and financial backing required to implement projects capable of unlocking the economic and industrial potential of their respective regions.
“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,” Tinubu said.
Government funding not enough
The President, however, urged the commissions not to rely solely on government funding.
He advised them to explore alternative financing options, including public-private partnerships, donor funding and development financing, where permitted by law and government guidelines.
Tinubu said the Regional Development Commissions were established under the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda to accelerate development and address longstanding gaps across the country.
He stressed that the commissions were not created to replace, duplicate or usurp the responsibilities of federal, state or local governments.
“Rather, it is our way of looking at why development gaps still exist and trying to close them up for the benefit of our people,” he said.
Tinubu rejects white elephant projects
The President warned the commissions against embarking on projects that are unnecessarily expensive, impractical or disconnected from the needs of their people.
“The era of white elephant projects is over and there is no excuse for the Commissions to become another conduit for wasting public funds,” he said.
He directed the commissions to develop clear, concise, attainable and fundable programmes, while the Ministry of Regional Development ensures compliance with the Regional Development Policy Document.
Tinubu also called on the legislature to provide effective oversight of the commissions.
Boards warned against corruption
The President warned the boards and managements of the commissions against corruption, marginalisation, politicisation and ethnicisation of government operations.
“Such actions will not be tolerated and government will not hesitate to sanction anyone found culpable,” he said.
North Central development priorities
Tinubu identified roads, rail, air transportation, industrialisation, security, investment, human capital development, education and healthcare as key areas requiring attention across the regions.
He said the North Central had enormous potential in agriculture, food production and agro-processing, solid minerals development and processing, industrial development, peace and security.
According to him, the region had operated below its potential for too long and should use the summit to chart a new development trajectory.
Security remains critical
The President acknowledged the security challenges confronting the North Central, saying the Federal Government had intensified surveillance and intelligence gathering, established additional formations, deployed more personnel and increased the prosecution of criminals.
He also said the government was supporting dialogue and reconciliation efforts.
Tinubu urged the NCDC to complement these efforts, stressing that sustainable development could only take place in an atmosphere of peace and security.
20-year development plan
The President 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 timely.
He urged participants to scrutinise the proposed development plan and ensure that it reflects the aspirations of residents while aligning with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Tinubu also warned against allowing the summit to become another platform where ideas are discussed and reports produced without implementation.
“This Summit should not end up as one of those platforms where ideas are ventilated and reports generated only to be left dusting on the shelves. The NCDC should show a better example by following through to implementation,” he said.
He urged the commissions to pursue alternative sources of funding, including private-sector partnerships, donor support and development financing, subject to their enabling laws and government guidelines.
