The federal government has moved to halt duplication of projects, inter-agency rivalry and the proliferation of abandoned initiatives across regional development commissions.
It emphasised that the era of uncoordinated interventions must give way to a harmonised framework that aligns planning, funding, implementation and reporting across all commissions.
Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, who stated this at a sectoral retreat for the leadership of the ministry and boards of regional development commission in Benin City, Edo state, said the move was geared to fast-track inclusive growth nationwide.
Momoh stated that the retreat provides a platform to strengthen synergy between the ministry and key agencies, including the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and other regional bodies, to deliver on national development priorities.
He disclosed that the ministry would henceforth enforce strict project continuity and completion benchmarks, stressing that new projects would only be approved after existing ones are substantially executed and assessed for impact.
“The recurring challenges of duplication of efforts, uncompleted projects and inter-agency rivalry must stop,” the minister declared.
The minister also explained that the creation of additional regional development commissions by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was designed to drive geo-spatial development and ensure balanced economic transformation across the six geo-political zones.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Regional Development, Jide Ipinsagba, described the retreat as timely and strategic, noting that uneven development remains a major impediment to national prosperity.
Ipinsagba assured that the National Assembly would continue to provide legislative support and oversight to ensure effective implementation of policies and programmes.
