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From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
The Senate has charged nominees for leadership positions in the newly established South-West Development Commission (SWDC) and South-South Development Commission (SSDC) to pursue bold, inclusive, and strategic development plans that will boost economic integration, tackle infrastructure deficit as well as address environmental and human capital challenges in their respective regions.
They gave the charge when the managing director nominees for the South-West Development Commission (SWDC), Dr. Charles Akinola, and his South-South counterpart, Usoro Offiong Akpabio, appeared before the respective Senate committees for screening at the National Assembly yesterday.
When fully operational, both commissions are expected to deliver development outcomes that will improve the lives of Nigerians in the regions.
Laying out their visions for the commissions, Akinola, an economist and seasoned public policy expert, proposed an ambitious roadmap for the South-West region that hinges on building a unified economic bloc across the six states.
“Our vision is premised on a strong regional development strategy—six states, one bloc,” he told the Senate Committee on SWDC. “By approaching the region as a single economic entity, we can build a highly competitive identity that attracts both investment and top-tier talent.”
He emphasised that the Commission under his leadership would align with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, with priorities on infrastructure, digital innovation, manufacturing, and energy.
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“Infrastructure development will be a key priority, particularly in enhancing regional interconnectivity and achieving energy self-sufficiency. The South-West should become a hub for manufacturing, innovation, and job creation,” Akinola said
Chairman of the SWDC committee, Yunus Akintunde, noted that the Commission was operating with a takeoff grant rather than a full capital vote and reminded the nominees of the weight of responsibility they bear. “You are laying the foundation, and I trust that God will guide you through the journey.”
Similarly, during the screening of nominees for the South-South Development Commission (SSDC), senators called for urgent attention to the region’s deep-rooted issues, ranging from environmental degradation to economic sabotage and crumbling infrastructure.
Chairman of the SSDC Committee, Benson Kombowei, urged the nominees to focus on strategic programmes that reflect the region’s unique challenges and diversity. “The crises bedeviling the South-South zone can be effectively addressed if deliberate efforts are made to execute people-centred projects,” he said.
Asuquo Ekpeyong, member of the panel and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, congratulated Akpabio as one of the few women nominated to head a development commission. “You have your work cut out for you. We expect you to carry your colleagues along and to bring a new level of excellence to the agency’s work.”
Akpabio pledged to pursue equitable project allocation and human capital development. “In regional governance, criteria will be influenced by indices like population and underdevelopment in each state.”
He added that the commission would place emphasis on health and education, especially in rural areas. “COVID-19 taught us that rural health infrastructure is often neglected. We will prioritise medical outreach and revamp decayed health facilities.”
