President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate release of funds earmarked for Nigeria’s regional development commissions, while warning their officials against corruption, waste and projects that fail to deliver tangible benefits to citizens.
Tinubu gave the directive on Monday during the opening of the first North Central Stakeholders Development Summit organised by the North Central Development Commission (NCDC). The President was represented at the event by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
The President said his administration would continue to provide political and financial support to the regional development commissions to enable them implement projects designed to address development gaps and stimulate economic activity within their respective regions.
He stressed that the commissions must ensure that available public resources are used responsibly, with priority given to projects capable of producing measurable improvements in the lives of residents.
According to Tinubu, the regional commissions were established under the Renewed Hope Agenda to accelerate development and address longstanding challenges across different parts of the country.
He clarified that the commissions were not created to assume the constitutional responsibilities of federal, state or local governments. Rather, they are expected to intervene in areas where significant development needs remain unresolved.
The President urged the commissions to focus their interventions on infrastructure, industrialisation, investment, education, healthcare, human capital development and security.
He also warned against spending large sums on projects with limited public value, stressing the need for government resources to be channelled into initiatives capable of producing meaningful outcomes.
Tinubu directed the Ministry of Regional Development to strengthen its monitoring of the commissions and ensure that their activities remain consistent with the approved regional development policy.
He further called on the National Assembly to maintain effective oversight of the commissions while urging their boards and management teams to avoid corruption, political interference, marginalisation and ethnic discrimination.
The President warned that officials found guilty of misconduct would face appropriate government sanctions.
On financing, Akume encouraged the development commissions to explore legitimate funding alternatives beyond government allocations. These could include public-private partnerships, donor funding and development-financing arrangements.
Tinubu also highlighted agriculture, food production, agro-processing, solid minerals and industrial development as sectors with significant potential to drive economic growth in the North Central region.
He said stakeholders should use the summit to develop practical strategies for unlocking the region’s economic and social potential.
The President also addressed security challenges in the region, stating that the Federal Government had strengthened surveillance and intelligence operations, increased security deployments and established additional security formations.
He said the government was also working to improve the prosecution of criminals while pursuing dialogue and reconciliation initiatives aimed at restoring peace.
Tinubu tasked the NCDC with supporting efforts to stabilise the region, noting that sustainable development would be difficult to achieve without peace and security.
The summit is also considering a proposed 20-year development plan for the North Central region, covering economic, infrastructural and social development.
Tinubu urged stakeholders to carefully examine the proposal and ensure that the final plan reflects the needs of communities across the region while supporting the broader objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
