President Bola Tinubu has granted the prompt release of funds to the Regional Development Commissions, warning their boards and managements against corruption, waste and the execution of projects that do not directly benefit the people.
Tinubu gave the directive while declaring open the first North Central Stakeholders Development Summit organised by the North Central Development Commission in Abuja on Monday.
The President, who was represented at the event by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, said the Federal Government would continue to provide political and financial backing to the commissions to enable them execute projects capable of unlocking the economic and industrial potential of the country.
He, however, urged the commissions not to depend solely on government funding, advising them to explore alternative sources of financing, including public-private partnerships, donor funding and development financing.
“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.
Tinubu said the creation of the Regional Development Commissions was part of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda to accelerate development across the country and address longstanding development gaps.
He stressed that the commissions were not established to replace, duplicate or usurp the functions of any tier of government.
“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.
According to him, the commissions are expected to focus on development priorities capable of unlocking the potential of their respective regions while providing interconnectivity for the country.
He listed roads, rail, air transportation, industrialisation, security, investment, human capital development, education and health among the sectors requiring attention.
The President urged the commissions to develop clear, concise, attainable and fundable programmes, warning against the execution of white elephant 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,” he said.
Tinubu also charged the Ministry of Regional Development to ensure that the commissions operated within the Regional Development Policy Document, while the legislature provides the necessary oversight.
He warned the boards and managements 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,” the President said.
Speaking on the North Central region, Tinubu said the area had enormous potential in agriculture, food production and agro-processing, solid minerals development and processing, industrial development, peace and security.
He said the region had operated below its potential for too long, urging stakeholders to use the summit to chart a new development trajectory.
The President also acknowledged the security challenges confronting the North Central, saying the Federal Government had intensified surveillance and intelligence gathering, established more formations, deployed additional personnel, increased the prosecution of criminals and supported dialogue and reconciliation.
He urged the NCDC to complement the government’s efforts to stabilise the region, stressing that development could only take place in an atmosphere of peace and security.
Tinubu said the theme of the summit, “The Great Leap Forward: A 20-Year Economic, Infrastructural and Social Development Plan for the North Central Region,” was appropriate, noting that it provided an opportunity for stakeholders to develop a consensus-driven plan for the region.
He urged participants to scrutinise the proposed development plan and ensure that it reflected the aspirations of the people and aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The President warned against allowing the summit to become another platform where ideas were 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.
Tinubu further urged the commissions to seek alternative funding sources, including public-private partnerships, donor funding and development financing, where permitted by their establishing laws and government guidelines.