‎Regional devt commissions are partners to states not parallel govts — Minister

‎Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, has called on governors to view the newly established regions development commissions as partners in progress rather than rival government structure.
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‎Speaking at the handover of a temporary office and land for the Northwest Development Commission (NWDC) headquarters in Kano on Thursday, Momoh stressed that regional development commissions are designed to complement state governments by filling infrastructural gaps and responding to pressing challenges, not to compete with them.
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‎He praised the collective pledge of the seven Northwest governors to support the NWDC’s permanent headquarters project, describing it as a demonstration of unity in tackling insecurity and underdevelopment in the region.
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‎Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, who donated land valued at over ₦3 billion and two official vehicles to the commission, underscored the urgency of its mission.
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‎He urged the NWDC to ensure equitable distribution of projects across the states while responding swiftly to emergencies in areas hardest hit by insecurity such as Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, and Kebbi.
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‎The governor appealed to the commission to seek additional funding from development partners and wealthy Nigerians to complement federal allocations.
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‎“Push for your money, push for development partners, push for wealthy Nigerians to support you. The little resources you have must be utilized wisely,” he said.
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‎He assured the commission of full support from northwest governors, pledging cooperation in infrastructure, empowerment, and regional development. The Governor expressed hope that a permanent headquarters would soon be built in Kano.
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‎The NWDC Managing Director, Professor Shehu Abdullahi Ma’aji, hailed the gesture as a “significant milestone” and promised to roll out impact projects in youth empowerment, agriculture, education, healthcare, and security support.
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‎Momoh further disclosed plans to amend the commission’s establishing Act to strengthen its management structure, adding: “These commissions are not in competition with state governments. They exist to complement efforts and accelerate development where gaps remain.”
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