Tinubu Orders Release Of Funds To Regional Commissions

President Bola Tinubu has directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, to ensure the prompt release of funds approved for regional development commissions across the country.

Tinubu gave the directive on Monday while addressing the North Central Development Commission Summit, held under the theme, The Great Leap Forward: A 20-Year Economic Infrastructure and Social Development Plan for the North Central Region.

Akume represented the President at the summit, where he said the establishment of regional development commissions was part of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda to accelerate development across different parts of Nigeria.

Tinubu said the government would continue to provide political and financial support to the commissions to enable them implement projects capable of unlocking economic and industrial opportunities in their respective regions.

He, however, urged the commissions not to depend entirely on government allocations. He advised them to seek partnerships with the private sector, development organisations, donors and other financing institutions to fund major projects.

The President said the commissions should concentrate on projects covering rail transportation, aviation, industrial development, security, investment, human capital, education and healthcare.

He also warned members of the boards and management of the commissions against corruption, political interference, discrimination and the misuse of public funds. He said individuals found guilty of such practices would face appropriate sanctions.

Tinubu clarified that the regional commissions were created to complement existing government structures rather than take over the responsibilities of state and local governments or duplicate the functions of federal agencies.

He further tasked the North Central Development Commission with supporting efforts to tackle insecurity in the region, noting that sustainable economic and social development would be difficult without a stable environment.

The Nasarawa State Governor and Chairman of the North Central Governors’ Forum, Abdullahi Sule, said the region had the human and natural resources required to become a major driver of Nigeria’s economic growth.

Sule called for greater investment in processing and value addition, particularly in the agriculture and mining sectors, rather than continuing to focus mainly on extracting and transporting raw materials.

He cited developments in Kogi State’s cement industry as an example of how processing mineral resources within the region could create jobs and expand economic opportunities.

The governor also pointed to Nasarawa’s mineral resources, noting that the state had more than 400 steel licences when he became governor in 2019 but had no processing plant at the time.

According to him, the state has since attracted the country’s largest and second-largest lithium processing plants, showing the economic opportunities that can emerge when raw materials are processed locally.

Sule said the North Central region had strong potential in agriculture, mining and industrial production, adding that Benue’s cement industry and the region’s rice and sesame production were among its major economic strengths.

He said the region needed leaders who could develop long-term plans and effectively implement them to convert its resources into sustainable economic growth.

The governor also praised the economic reforms of the Tinubu administration, saying they had increased revenues available to the federal, state and local governments and improved their ability to meet financial obligations.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of the North Central Development Commission, Cyril Tsenyil, said the commission was established to coordinate regional development, mobilise resources and build partnerships.

Tsenyil said the commission’s 20-year development plan would focus on economic corridors, agricultural and mineral processing, infrastructure development and the creation of opportunities for young people.

He said the North Central region should seek to become one of Africa’s most competitive agricultural regions instead of being known only as Nigeria’s agricultural hub.