Opinion: Their Regional Development Commission

The first taking was to dismiss the six regional development commissions born by President Nigeria, Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Congress all progressive [APC] Political parties, as the best, waste and pipelines, and the worst as a political regulation of partisan and money laundering channels ahead of the 2027 election. They may also be all things at the same time. There may actually be seven development institutions because there is no evidence available to the public that the Delta Niger Development Commission [NDDC] Founded about 20 years ago by Gen Administration.[rtd] Olusegun Obasanjo has ended. In other words, NDDC can operate with the South South Development Commission [SSDC]. Because there is no budget provision for SSDC, it will be safe to assume that SSDC and NDDC are one and the same. So NNDC can therefore advance to operate with the name SSDC to align with similar commissions in five other geopolitical zones.

Early last month [that’s May]The president reportedly forwarded a letter to his senate who asked him to filter and confirm candidates for the council and management of the Southwest Development Commission [SWDC]North Central Development Commission [NCDC]and SSDC. The request is to complete the establishment process for all commissions throughout the country. Broadly, the regional commission is being formed to accelerate infrastructure development, stimulate economic activity, and improve social welfare in the geopolitical zone of each. Each commission is expected to operate with the legislative supervision of the National Assembly [NASS]. This Nass is not clever in any case that has been done so far in the last two years of its existence. That is, the regional commission has failed in the field of supervision. Instead of making commission operations to meet their mandate, NASS members will focus on how much it can be squeezed from the agency. The history of the trend of extortion from our senator and representatives is in the public domain. And legendary. No need for receipts. The seated senate president was the main dramatic in a public hearing that was broadcast on television about NDDC’s dirty activities. He was the Minister of Supervisory Agency at that time.

NDDC is a precursor of most development commissions today. Before NDDC there was the same interventionist agent that we could not remember easily. It was arranged to play the same role as NDDC. Obasanjo created NDDC on June 5, 2000, 25 years ago this month. Established to develop the oil -rich Delta Niger region consisting of about nine states. The mandate includes overcoming environmental problems in the region, overcoming poverty and lack of social services. It has essentially mandating infrastructure development, forming human resources, economic empowerment, and combating ecological degradation and the environment which is partly caused by exploitation of crude oil. The jury came out about whether the commission was substantially conveyed his mandate. However, it must be admitted that NDDC has had a positive impact on several communities created to serve. But the truth remains that the NDDC is better known for its fame- corruption, fraud, projects abandoned, contract inflation, abuse of power by elements in their leadership cadres, sexual harassment, accusations and accusations of opposite between his leadership and Nass members in public hearing, among others. In 25 years there was no evidence that NDDC had significantly helped change one of the states under its scope. The poverty/misery index in the state of NDDC is no better than other states outside the scope of the agency. That should question his raison d’Etre. Instead the federal government has chosen to replicate and strengthen failure by creating five more agencies in failed NDDC molds. This government must have other motivations for the path they have chosen.

Total budget allocation in 2025 to five of the six development commissions [NCDC is yet to be provisioned for] Kira -Kira N2.49 trillion with NDDC get the largest part of the N776.5 billion to focus on the challenges of the environmental and social economy in the Delta region; NWDC, N585.9 billion to target security, infrastructure and economic development; SWDC, N498.4 billion to improve infrastructure and economic empowerment programs; SEDC, N341.3 billion to rebuild critical infrastructure and foster resilience; and NEDC N291 billion to rebuild the community destroyed by the rebellion and promote economic recovery. The upcoming NCDC mandate will not be significantly different from what has been formed. There is no indictment assigned to this commission that is not the responsibility of the local government and state. The accusation that the Governor of the State is corrupt, the emperor and irresponsible will not be enough. The creator and operator of this commission are not, and will not, less corrupt and dictator. What has been done by the federal government is to create an entity to fight the power of the governor, an institution to wash money for personal benefits and mud funds for political campaigns, the head of the bridge for foot soldiers for the theft of elections, among other evil goals. The board and management of commissions are inhabited by partisan and apparatchik APC, not technocrats. There is no suggestion here that there is no technology in the APC ranks. No. But in this case, the main loyalty of the person appointed is to the president and their political parties, not to the regions, of course not for the majority of Nigerians who suffer. If its motivation has an impact on people at other government levels, the country will be better served with a rejig allocation of formular income for the state and local government. We agree that there will be a strong and convincing argument for this thought given the financial carelessness at other government levels. But this argument can only be valid and sustainable if the carelessness and financial impunity are not obtained at the center. We dare to say that they are worse in the federation government.

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Since the era of President of Goodluck Jonathan who established the Oronsaye panel on the restructuring of federal government operations, each regime has avoided the implementation of the recommended team reports, among other matters, the Ministry of Federal, Department and Federal Agencies [MDAs]. Conversely, more agencies and ministries are being made and the bureaucracy is expanded. Since the Oronsaye report, the Federal Ministry has jumped from around 45 to 50. The same thing for departments and institutions. Reports submitted to the government in 2012 and which implementation is projected to save the government around N1 trillion and make the operations more efficient, stopped until 2024 when the regime that still exists ordered its full implementation. The ironic is that the regime that demands the full implementation of the Oronsaye report is busy expanding the bureaucracy by creating ministries and regional development commissions. Another worrying thing is a suggestion that most of the budget allocation for the Development Commission will enter salaries, honorariums, overhead and additional considerations to harm capital projects. Indeed, one of the commissions in the north has committed to import thousands of electric rickshaws to increase transportation in northeast. What the commission planned to do, if it hadn’t done so, was to export work from Nigeria and import inflation to the country. This is not to embarrass the commission because other people may not do better.

We can clearly argue that similar commissions and agencies have worked in the past in this same country. However, the claim must be made in the context. There is a East Nigerian Development Commission [ENDC] in the first republic. There is also the North Nigerian Development Commission [NNDC] In the north, and Oodua company groups in the western region. This commission succeeded in a miracle. They have their credit to form a developing government business including agricultural settlements, hotel chains, palm, cotton, cotton, chocolate, and rubber plantations throughout the region. In their portfolio is another profitable company in various fields. They are managed efficiently and effectively so that there is a healthy competition between and between regions. If successful, why not function now. That’s because, among others, the structure of the country has changed to the worse, and the values ​​of people have deteriorated. This can be considered hard and excessive, but his fear and suspicion is that not many Nigerians who are currently honest and wholeheartedly invest in that country and their prospects for the future. Those who can make sound with their feet. Those who cannot resign to their fate. And those who have privileges and in the ruling elite have a ball. Who needs a crystal ball to see where Nigeria is going?

Author: Ugo onuoha

The article published in our graffiti section is the opinion of the writers and does not represent Nigerian ripple views or the editorial booths.