President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate and timely release of funds allocated to Regional Development Commissions, while warning their boards and management against corruption, wasteful spending and the execution of projects that do not directly benefit citizens.
The President 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. Tinubu was represented at the event by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume.
He assured the commissions of continued political and financial support from the Federal Government to enable them implement projects capable of unlocking the economic and industrial potential of their respective regions.
“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,” the President said.
Tinubu also instructed the SGF to ensure that all funds due to the commissions are released promptly.
“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 stated.
The President, however, urged the commissions not to rely solely on government allocations, advising them to explore alternative funding sources such as public-private partnerships, donor support and development financing.
According to Tinubu, the establishment of the Regional Development Commissions aligns with his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda and is aimed at accelerating development across the country while addressing longstanding infrastructural and economic gaps.
He stressed that the commissions were not created to replace or duplicate the responsibilities of existing tiers of government but to complement development efforts and close identified gaps.
“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.
The President said the commissions should focus on critical sectors including roads, rail and air transportation, industrialisation, security, investment, education, healthcare and human capital development.
He further charged the agencies to develop realistic, achievable and properly funded programmes, warning against embarking on unproductive projects.
“The era of white elephant projects is over and there is no excuse for the Commissions to become another conduit for wasting public funds,” Tinubu warned.
The President also directed the Ministry of Regional Development to ensure strict adherence to the Regional Development Policy Document, while calling on the National Assembly to provide effective oversight of the commissions’ activities.
He cautioned the boards and managements against corruption, marginalisation, politicisation and ethnic bias in the discharge of their responsibilities.
“Such actions will not be tolerated and government will not hesitate to sanction anyone found culpable,” he said.
Focusing on the North Central region, Tinubu described the zone as rich in agricultural, mineral and industrial potential, but noted that it had operated below capacity for years.
He urged stakeholders at the summit to develop strategies capable of placing the region on a sustainable path of economic growth and development.
The President also acknowledged the security challenges facing the region, noting that the Federal Government had intensified intelligence gathering, strengthened security deployments and expanded efforts aimed at dialogue and reconciliation.
He called on the North Central Development Commission to support government initiatives to restore peace and stability, stressing that sustainable development can only thrive in a secure environment.
Tinubu described the summit’s theme, “The Great Leap Forward: A 20-Year Economic, Infrastructural and Social Development Plan for the North Central Region,” as timely and urged participants to ensure that the proposed framework reflects the aspirations of the people and aligns with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He also warned against allowing the summit to become another platform for discussions without concrete results, urging the commission to prioritise implementation of agreed development plans.
“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,” the President said.
