By Sanni Onogu, Abuja
The North West geo-political zone on Wednesday inched closer to getting a federally funded development agency.
This was sequel to the second reading a Bill titled: “A Bill for an Act to establish the North West Development Commission to act as a catalyst to develop the commercial and industrial potentials of the North West, to receive and manage funds from allocation of the Federation for the agricultural and industrial development of the North West and for other related matters therewith, 2020” sponsored by Senator Jibrin Barau (Kano North).
Barau in his lead debate said that the Bill was CP-sponsored by all Senators from North West geo-political zone.
The Kaduna North Senator noted that the Bill seeks to establish the North West Development Commission “to act as a catalyst to develop the arrays of potentials of the North West as well as address the gap in infrastructural development of the region.”
The North West as a region, according to him, has contributed immensely to the overall development of Nigeria in terms of agriculture and “yet the region remains hugely underdeveloped.”
He insisted that what the region requires now from the Federal Government is support to develop its infrastructure and educate its teeming youths.
He added that this would enable the zone to drive the process of development to grow at per with the more developed zones in the country.
Barau said: “The infrastructure of the zone has been immensely destroyed by the activities of the Boko Haram Insurgents, armed bandits and Kidnappers across the region leading to exodus of investors, businessmen, managers of companies and employees.
“This destruction is having a major impact on the economy of the region as it has led to severe food shortages, unemployment in a region that has traditionally produced cash and food crops across the Sahel.
“Also, some parts of the region are currently facing the problem of desertification.
“All these have contributed to make agriculture and other economic activities to suffer thereby creating more poverty in the zone.
“The Federal Government is in the right position to show concern in the face of the plethora of problems and challenges facing this geo-political zone by creating the North West Commission to appropriately address the developmental needs of the zone.
“Nigeria has abundant capacity to beam a sympathetic focus by beginning to address these issues in a more holistic and systematic manner.
“The public works projects to be executed by this Commission will engage the youths in a more serious fashion and help to develop the needed human capital so as to curb the current cases of banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities that has created a security situation that is not conducive for growth and development in the region.
“The peaceful co-existence of the Nigerian State will be enhanced with the establishment of this Commission.”
Senators in their contributions supported the Bill.
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, referred the Bill to the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public for further legislative work.
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