From Tony John, Port Harcourt
The House of Representatives, yesterday, commended President Bola Tinubu for assenting to the South-South and South West Development Commission Bills.
Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the plenary, thanked the president for ensuring that all geo-political zones have their respective development commissions.
Kalu said the creation of the development commissions for all the geo-political zones would engender development at the grassroots.
He particularly commended the president for being just and fair in the creation of the development commissions.
“The development commissions for all the zones will positively impact the renewed hope of this administration on the local people.
“Mr. President has done well by giving all zones the opportunity to leverage their development opportunities,” he said.
The deputy speaker urged all the zones to drive development of their zones with the platform offered by Tinubu.
The development commissions are expected to improve governance, security, law and order, as well as engender more efficient and effective use of resources.
They are also expected to promote social harmony and a conducive business environment for growth.
The Ikwerre People’s Congress (IPC), an apex socio-political organisation of the Ikwerre ethnic nationality, said the bill signed into law on March 25, 2025, was a demonstration of patriotic commitment to the development of the South South zone.
In a document jointly by the chairman, Livingstone Wechie; vice chairman, Ihunwo Obi-Wali and the secretary-general, Stanley Worgu, the group said Ikwerres had made tremendous contributions not only in the South-South, but in the Niger Delta region.
“We also commend the National Assembly for the timeous passage of the Bill. This is, indeed, a demonstration of extraordinary intervention by the President and a show of patriotic commitment to the development of the South South zone.
“The Ikwerre have made one of the highest contributions in terms of human, natural resources and land contribution to the government’s assets, not only in the South South, but also in the Niger Delta region and this ushers in a new era of reward not only for us, but also the rest of our great neighbours, who have made loud and extremely sacrificial contributions to keep Nigeria economically afloat.”
The IPC acknowledged neighbours including the Ijaw, Ogoni, Etche, Orashi, Ibibio, Urhobo, Itshekiri, Anioma and Igbani among others, for the supreme prize they had paid in the struggle for their collective freedom and justice.
The IPC leadership said: “On the face of it, we see this as some respite as we speed up into the long awaited era of the restoration of land and resource ownership to the original ethnic native owners, which is the real pipeline for our delayed development.
The ethnic nationality urged President Tinubu, in his wisdom, to be intentional in structuring the new Commission with a strong value for all-encompassing consultative, stakeholders’ management mechanism, democratic and transparent system devoid of political or singular ethnic dominance.
“This Commission should not be entrapped in the regrettable shortcomings of the Niger Delta Development Commission. We urge the stakeholders of the South South to value our unity now more than ever before and rally support for the President to make this Commission succeed for the peace and stability in our zone.”