DEVELOP 10 YEARS STRATEGIC PLAN FOR NORTHWEST REGION, SPEAKER TASK NWDC. 13-02-25
By Sadiq Aminu The Speaker House of Representatives Dr Tajudeen Abbas has tasked North-West Development Commission, NWDC, to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment across the zone and develop a 10-year strategic plan to guide the region interventions.
Dr. Abbas made the call at the inauguration of the House Committee on North-West Development Commission.
The Speaker also called for urgent and coordinated action to address the challenges of insecurity, poverty, and infrastructural decay ravaging the North-West region of the country.
He emphasized that the region’s developmental crisis must be tackled head-on to prevent further deterioration.
He emphasized that the plan must be backed by innovative financing mechanisms, including public-private partnerships and development bonds, to ensure sustainability.
The Speaker lamented the devastating impact of insecurity on the region’s economy, noting that once-booming industries such as the textile sector in Kaduna and Kano have nearly collapsed due to violence and policy failures.
Chairman of the House Committee on the North-West Development Commission, Dr. Suleiman Gumi, pledged to lead a transparent and results-driven approach to addressing the socio-economic and security challenges in the region.
Dr. Gumi said the Committee would focus on a broad mandate, including monitoring and coordinating NWDC activities, engaging with development partners, and collaborating with the private sector to drive rehabilitation, resettlement, and regional growth across the seven states of the North-West.
He emphasized that security remains at the core of the Commission’s mandate, stressing that sustainable development cannot be achieved in a region plagued by banditry, kidnapping, and economic downturns.