Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has charged the newly inaugurated board and management of the South-South Development Commission (SSDC) to pursue projects and programmes that would meaningfully transform the lives of people in the region and align with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Akpabio gave the charge yesterday when the Board of the Commission, led by its Chairman, Prince Chibudom Nwuche, paid him a courtesy visit at the National Assembly, Abuja.

He said the SSDC carries a huge responsibility to drive economic growth and sustainable development across the six states of the South-south, stressing that its establishment represents a fresh opportunity to correct past mistakes and deliver real value to the people.

The Senate President said, “The ball is now in your court to add value to the South-south region through this development commission.

“You have a lot of responsibilities to develop the region. I want you to know that it is not a bonanza. 

“It is a call to service, a call to put on your thinking cap to add value to the economy of the nation and to advance the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President who set up this Commission.”

The Senate President commended President Tinubu for creating the SSDC, describing it as a demonstration of the federal government’s commitment to the equitable development of all regions. 

He also thanked members of the National Assembly for passing the bill establishing the Commission despite initial hesitation due to the existence of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

According to him, the SSDC has a broader mandate beyond oil-producing communities, as it covers every part of the South-south region and is expected to complement other interventionist agencies in addressing development gaps.

He said, “I congratulate the President and thank him for finding it necessary to give us the South-South Development Commission. The Niger Delta has been good to Nigeria. 

“We have kept the economy of the nation going, and so, giving us this opportunity to further develop other resources in the region shows that Nigeria also cares about us,” Akpabio said.

He assured the Board that the National Assembly would ensure adequate budgetary provisions for the new Commission and other regional development agencies across the country.

He said, “We shall continue to support you to fully take off and execute big projects that we shall come and commission.

 “You can count on me, my office, and my colleagues. We will support you to make sure you are adequately funded and positioned to succeed.”

Earlier, the Chairman of the Commission, Prince Nwuche, expressed appreciation to President Tinubu, Senator Akpabio, and the National Assembly for their collective efforts in establishing the SSDC, describing the process as an act of visionary leadership.

Nwuche assured that the new Commission would operate with transparency, accountability, and a focus on results, promising to avoid the pitfalls that hindered similar agencies in the past.

He said, “Under my leadership as Chairman, I assure you that we shall keep faith in executing the core mandate of this Commission.

“We will work closely with the Senate, stakeholders, and the states. We will avoid the mistakes of the past and make sure our people feel the real impact of governance.”

On her part, the pioneer Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the SSDC, Ms. Usoro Akpabio, lauded the Senate President’s role in the creation of the Commission and pledged that the agency would pursue inclusive and transformative development across the region.

She outlined the Commission’s key priorities to include human capital development, infrastructure renewal, and economic diversification, saying the SSDC would collaborate with states and other development institutions to unlock the region’s potential.

He said, “This Commission will align with other sister development agencies and work with the states while carrying out our own independent mandate.

“We will unlock the potentials and the stranded wealth of the South-south people. 

“Our goal is to be a role model for other development agencies in Nigeria by implementing sustainable, impactful projects that create jobs and opportunities across all sectors.”

With the SSDC now established, stakeholders in the region are optimistic that the agency will complement existing interventions and drive a new wave of inclusive growth and development

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