President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate and timely release of funds due to Nigeria’s Regional Development Commissions, warning their boards and management teams against corruption, waste and projects that fail to deliver direct benefits to citizens.
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 was represented at the summit by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.
He said the Federal Government would continue to provide the political and financial support required by the regional commissions to carry out major projects and address development gaps across the country.
Tinubu specifically directed the SGF to ensure that funds meant for the commissions were released without unnecessary delays.
“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,” he said.
The President, however, made it clear that access to government funding must come with accountability.
He warned that the commissions must not become another channel through which public resources are wasted on projects with little impact on the people.
Tinubu also advised the commissions to look beyond government allocations and develop other legitimate sources of funding.
He identified public-private partnerships, donor support and development financing as possible options, subject to existing laws and government guidelines.
The President said the regional development commissions were created as part of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to him, the objective is to accelerate development and close longstanding gaps across the different regions of the country.
He stressed that the commissions were not established to take over the responsibilities of state, local or federal institutions.
“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 said the commissions should concentrate on projects that can unlock the economic potential of their respective regions while also improving connectivity across Nigeria.
He listed roads, rail transportation, air transportation, industrialisation, security, investment, education, healthcare and human capital development among the areas that require serious attention.
The President urged the commissions to prepare programmes that are realistic, properly funded and capable of producing measurable results.
He particularly warned against the tradition of embarking on expensive projects without clear economic or social value.
“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.
Tinubu also placed responsibility on the Ministry of Regional Development to ensure that the commissions operate within the Regional Development Policy Document.
He said the legislature must equally exercise effective oversight to ensure that the commissions remain accountable in the use of public resources.
The President further warned the leadership of the commissions against corruption and other practices capable of undermining their mandates.
He specifically mentioned marginalisation, politicisation and ethnicisation of government operations.
“Such actions will not be tolerated and government will not hesitate to sanction anyone found culpable,” the President said.
The summit is centred on a proposed 20-year development blueprint titled, “The Great Leap Forward: A 20-Year Economic, Infrastructural and Social Development Plan for the North Central Region.”
Tinubu said the theme was timely because the region needed a long-term development strategy rather than isolated projects.
He urged participants to carefully examine the proposed plan and ensure that it reflects the needs and aspirations of residents of the North Central.
The President also warned against allowing the summit to end with only speeches, recommendations and documents without actual 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.
The North Central region comprises Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger and Plateau states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory.
The region occupies an important position in Nigeria’s agricultural and mineral economy and serves as a major link between different parts of the country.