Nigerians will judge regional commissions by jobs, roads, not promises — Shettima

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Wednesday charged regional development commissions to justify their creation through measurable projects, warning that Nigerians would judge them by the roads they build, jobs they create, businesses they support and communities they transform—not by bureaucracy.

Mr Shettima gave the charge while receiving the management of the South West Development Commission, SWDC, led by its board chairman, Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The vice president said the commissions must embrace innovation, transparency, institutional collaboration and integrity to fulfil their mandates and unlock economic opportunities across the country’s regions.

“Your commission must be known for delivery, not bureaucracy. Nigerians will measure your success by the quality of roads built, jobs created, businesses supported, and communities transformed,” Shettima said.

He explained that the establishment of regional development commissions was designed to harness the comparative advantages and economic potential of the country’s various regions for collective national prosperity.

According to him, the South-West, with its history of enterprise, innovation, education and industrial development, is strategically positioned to drive economic growth and lead the country in innovation, technology, human capital development and regional integration.

Shettima said the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu was focused on translating government policies into tangible improvements in the lives of Nigerians.

He urged the SWDC to work closely with state governments in the region, traditional institutions, the private sector and development partners, stressing that effective collaboration was essential to achieving sustainable development.

“Development succeeds when institutions collaborate, not compete. Peer review is very important,” he said.

The vice president also called on the commission to build partnerships with other regional development commissions and exchange ideas capable of transforming the economic fortunes of their respective regions.

Shettima further stressed the need for transparency and accountability in project execution, saying interventions undertaken by the commissions must be measurable and structured to attract private-sector investment.

“Every project must be transparent, measurable and capable of attracting private investment. Our job as government is to create the enabling environment for investments to thrive,” he said.

He reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting initiatives aimed at advancing regional development and strengthening national prosperity.

Earlier, Adetunmbi commended the Tinubu administration for its economic and structural reforms, which he said had led to the creation of regional development commissions and other interventions.

He also praised Shettima’s leadership of the National Economic Council, NEC, saying it had helped to strengthen governance at the subnational level and facilitate the execution of tangible projects across the country.

The SWDC chairman briefed the vice president on the commission’s proposed roadmap, which includes interventions in infrastructure, human capital development and other priority sectors across the South-West.

He disclosed plans by the commission to conduct a comprehensive baseline study to guide its programmes and ensure that its interventions respond to the region’s development needs.

Adetunmbi also sought the vice president’s support in strengthening cooperation between the commission and state governments through the NEC, with a view to preventing duplication of projects and ensuring efficient use of public resources.