President Bola Tinubu has officially approved the establishment of the South-West and South-South Development Commissions, completing the framework for regional development commissions across Nigeria.
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, made the announcement during Wednesday’s plenary, emphasizing the significance of these commissions in fostering grassroots development.
“No mechanism is too much to trickle down development and dividends of democracy to the grassroots,” Kalu stated. “I am sure that with these development commissions, the impact of this administration will be felt by the grassroots. We thank Mr. President for completing it to the entire geo-political zones.”
Confirming the development during Tuesday’s Senate plenary, Senate President Godswill Akpabio disclosed that Tinubu had signed the South-West Development Commission Bill and the South-South Development Commission Bill into law.
“Just to inform distinguished senators that Mr. President has assented to the remaining regional development bills, the South-West Development Commission Bill and the South-South Development Commission Bill. We now have all the developmental commissions legally in existence,” Akpabio said.
He further commended the President for his collaboration with the National Assembly and underscored the expected benefits of the commissions.
“We thank the president. We are grateful for his cooperation. We are grateful for creating jobs. We are also grateful to have taken development to the grassroots level,” he added.
The newly established commissions are mandated to drive infrastructure development, stimulate economic growth, and improve social welfare in their respective regions.
The Senate passed the South-West Development Commission Bill in September 2024 before forwarding it to the House of Representatives for concurrence.
The bill was initiated by Ogun East Senator Gbenga Daniel. Similarly, the South-South Development Commission Bill, sponsored by Cross River South Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, was passed in October 2024 and subsequently transmitted to the House.
These commissions join the North-West Development Commission and the South-East Development Commission, both of which were signed into law by Tinubu in July 2024.
Their governing boards have since been constituted and confirmed by the Senate.
