President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the immediate release of all approved funds due to Nigeria’s regional development commissions as and when they become due.
Tinubu gave the directive to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, stressing the need for strict compliance with the funding arrangements for the commissions.
The President said the regional development commissions have a critical role to play in addressing long-standing developmental challenges across the country through strategic investments in infrastructure, security, education, healthcare and industrial development.
The directive is expected to strengthen the capacity of the commissions to execute projects designed to address the peculiar needs of their respective regions.
However, Tinubu warned the leadership of the commissions against corruption, diversion and misuse of public funds, insisting that government resources must be deployed for the benefit of Nigerians.
The President’s directive comes amid years of complaints from different regions over perceived neglect and uneven development.
With the commissions now expected to receive their approved allocations as and when due, attention will increasingly shift from the creation and funding of the agencies to the impact of their activities.
For communities that have waited for years for meaningful government intervention, the real test will be whether the released funds translate into visible roads, schools, hospitals, jobs, security infrastructure and industrial opportunities.
The challenge before the commissions, therefore, is not merely to spend the money made available to them, but to demonstrate measurable development while maintaining transparency and accountability.
