The Senate has urged nominees for appointment into the board of the newly created South-South Development Commission (SSDC) to execute developmental projects that would address the issue of economic sabotage, environmental degradation and infrastructure decay bedeviling the Niger Delta region
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on the SSDC, Senator Benson Kombowei, gave the charge after the panel completed the screening of the nominees.
The nominees are, Rt. Hon. Chibudom Nwuche (Rivers State as Chairman) and Usoro Offiong Akpabio (Akwa Ibom State as Managing Director).
The Executive Directors are Marcus Nie Eji in charge of Projects (Rivers); Aganaba Preye Steven – Social & Human Capital Development (Bayelsa); Dr. Timi Alari Ayibatonye – Corporate Services (Delta); Joseph Ugheoke – Commercial & Environmental Development (Edo) and Amb. Sony Abang – Finance (Cross River).
Other nominees are Larry Odey (Cross River); Charles Zuofa (Bayelsa); Dr. Nkereuwem Ebong (Akwa Ibom); Chika Chinedu (Rivers); Femi Oise (Edo); Dr. Charles Sylvester Enukhowhate (Delta); Tijani Yahaya Kaura (North-West); Tabitha Iliya Sallah (North-East); Alh. Yusuf Rasaq Amao (North-Central); Joseph Mmama (South-East), and Bukunola Braimoh (South-West).
The Chairman of the Senate committee noted that the crises bedeviling the South South geopolitical zone could be effectively addressed if concerted efforts are made to execute specific projects that would address the needs of the people.
He therefore urged the nominees when confirmed to come up with strategic programmes that would take care of the different diversities of the people in the zone.
Speaking further on the issue, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, who is also a member of the South South Development Commission panel, pledged that the red chamber would work with the new agency to achieve its mandate.
Ekpenyong urged the nominees for the position of the Managing Director to carry her colleagues along to avoid any crisis that could slow down the progress of the agency.
The Senator said, “Madam MD nominee, I believe you are one of the only female managing directors of the development commission that we have established. So I would like to congratulate you. I would like to say you have your work cut out for you.
“You have a lot to prove for being a young lady in this country, and we believe, based on your CV and the questions you have answered here, that you are up to the task at hand.
“I believe the experience of the gentlemen, ladies that have been nominated to serve with you in this board, I ask that you work well with them, you carry them along, and we as a committee look forward to working with you.
“The region has different resources in terms of both mineral resources, solid minerals, oil and gas. I would like you to see a way that the commission can work with the various states to further develop their natural resources.
The managing director nominee, Akpabio, pledged that the new commission would ensure balance in the allocation of projects to ensure even development of the South-South region.
Akpabio said, “In regional governance, the criteria will be influenced by indices like population and underdevelopment in each state.
“While we were receiving funds and grants to carry out our market and scope, we’ll do a lot of human capital development, which includes the health sector, and primarily looking at the health sector, the rural community is very important.
“COVID-19 taught us a lesson that while everybody was facing the general hospitals, the rural areas were abandoned. So we would also look at medical outreaches, and we would look at revamping a lot of these decayed facilities.
Meanwhile, the Managing Director nominee for the South-West Development Commission (SWDC), Dr Charles Akinola, has said that the commission will look at one economic bloc as a defining feature of the South-West Development Commission.
He said that such a bloc would allow the commission to build a very competitive regional identity that will attract investment and talent.
Akinola gave the assurance when he and other nominees appeared for screening before the Senate Committee on South-West Development Commission (SWDC) in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said that the vision for the commission would be anchored on a strong regional development strategy.
“The vision will be anchored on a strong regional development strategy where we have six states, but one bloc.
“We will look at one economic bloc as a defining feature of the South-West Development Commission.
“So, that will allow us to build a very competitive regional identity, which will establish and be able to attract investment and talents.”
Akinola said that in the 30 years of his experience which was outside of the walls of the university, he had garnered enough experience to bring about great development to the south-west region.
“My vision for the South-west is a globally competitive, forward-looking, resilient economy in a prosperous Nigeria.
“The south-west is to be a leading hub for manufacturing, for innovation and the generation of job opportunities.
“I would like to see the south-west as a leader in digital industries and the creative economy.
“So much is happening in that space already. We will build on where people are in terms of what they are already doing”.
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Akinola said that he would ensure “a broader Nigerian Renewed Hope Agenda” if confirmed.
“You will realise that some of our brightest talents in this country are from the south-west.
“We will tend to be able to leverage the resources of these talents within and outside of the shores of this country.
“Infrastructure development will be a key priority of the development commission, and by that, we’re looking at infrastructure development, we’re looking at regional interconnectivity.
“We’re looking at energy self-sufficiency, which will be the backbone for industrialisation in the south-west,” Akinola said.
In his remarks, Chairman, Senate Committee of the SWDC, Sen. Yunus Akintunde, noted that the budget of the commission is just a line budget and not its capital vote.
“What you have is a takeoff grant. It means the task rests on the management and the board.
“You are entering a special session; you are the pioneer set, which means you have special tasks to take off, and I know God will help you.”