The House of Representatives Committee on the North-West Development Commission (NWDC) has commended the commission’s management for its development initiatives and pledged continued legislative support to accelerate projects across the region.
The committee, chaired by Rt. Hon. Sulaiman Abubakar Gumi, gave the commendation during a meeting with the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NWDC, Professor Shehu Abdullahi Ma’aji, in Abuja on Tuesday.
Abdulrashid Y. Safana, the director of press and public relations in a statement sent to GLOBAL TRACKER last night said the meeting reviewed the commission’s progress, operational challenges, budget implementation and proposed amendments to its Establishment Act, alongside resolutions from the North-West Development Stakeholders’ Summit held in Kaduna.
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Gumi acknowledged delays in the commencement of operations and the slow pace of budget implementation over the past 18 months, attributing them to challenges associated with establishing a new institution.
He, however, stressed that the region’s urgent development needs required renewed commitment and faster implementation of programmes.
The committee chairman commended Ma’aji and his management team for laying the groundwork for the commission’s operations and assured them of the committee’s continued support in carrying out its mandate.
In his remarks, Ma’aji thanked the lawmakers for their oversight and legislative support, assuring them that the commission was strengthening its institutional framework to promote transparency, accountability and effective resource management.
He said the planning period had been used to establish a foundation for the efficient deployment of resources, adding that management was now prepared to accelerate implementation and deliver measurable results.
The NWDC chief executive disclosed that the commission had commenced complementary interventions in the security sector in response to the impact of insecurity across the North-West.
He said the commission planned to expand its interventions to healthcare, education, agriculture, infrastructure, human capital development and economic empowerment to address critical development gaps across the seven states.
On funding, Ma’aji said the commission was exploring opportunities beyond government budgetary allocations to mobilise resources for major regional projects.
He cited a recent collaborative visit to the Russian Federation, including the Republic of Mordovia, which he said had opened investment prospects in security and defence, education and scholarships, modern mining technology, railway development, agriculture, agro-industry, information and communication technology, renewable energy, biomedicine, medical equipment and the halal economy.
According to him, the engagements had produced commitments for full financing of some identified initiatives and letters of intent from investors for other projects.
He assured the committee that the commission would conduct due diligence and establish clear implementation frameworks and monitoring mechanisms to protect public and regional interests and ensure value for money.
Ma’aji also welcomed continued National Assembly oversight, describing it as an opportunity to strengthen the commission’s capacity and ensure that its activities deliver tangible benefits to communities.
The commission pledged to provide a clear account of its financial and operational position while accelerating implementation of its development programmes.
The NWDC was established to promote socio-economic development across Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states, with a mandate that includes addressing poverty, insecurity and infrastructure deficits.