Amongst several things, the bill aims to rebuild the road, medical, educational, social, agricultural, and other infrastructures destroyed in the region by the activities of Boko-Haram Insurgents and Bandits.
The Senate has passed for second reading, a bill seeking to establish the North West Development Commission (NWDC) to act as a catalyst to develop the arrays of potentials of the North West as well as address the gap in infrastructural development of the region.
The bill which was read for the first time in the Senate on Tuesday, 26th September 2023 was sponsored by the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin (APC, Kano North).
In his lead debate, he noted that the North West as a region had contributed immensely to the overall development of Nigeria in terms of Agriculture and other areas of endeavour but remains hugely underdeveloped.Â
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He stressed that the region needs the Federal government’s support to develop its infrastructure and educate its seeming youths to drive the process of developing the zone in its entirety to grow at par with the more developed zones in the country.
“The infrastructure of the zone has been immensely destroyed by the activities of the Boko Haram Insurgents, armed Bandits, and Kidnappers across the region leading to the exodus of investors, businessmen, managers of companies, and employees.Â
“This destruction is having a major impact on the economy of the region as it has led to severe food shortages and unemployment in a region that has traditionally produced cash and food crops across the Sahel. Also, some parts of the region are currently facing the problem of desertification. All these have contributed to making agriculture and other economic activities suffer thereby creating more poverty in the zone.
“The Federal Government is in the right position to show concern in the face of the plethora of problems and challenges facing this geo-political zone by creating the North West Commission to appropriately address the developmental needs of the zone. Nigeria has abundant capacity to beam a sympathetic focus by beginning to address these issues more holistically and systematically.Â
“The public works projects to be executed by this Commission will engage the youths more seriously and help to develop the needed human capital to curb the current cases of banditry, kidnapping, and other criminal activities that have created a security situation that is not conducive for growth and development in the region. The peaceful co-existence of the Nigerian State will be enhanced with the establishment of this Commission,” he added.
According to Jibrin, when the bill is established, the commission will;
- Formulate policies and guidelines for the development of the North West Zone where security shall prevail;
- To rebuild the road, medical, educational, social, agricultural, and other infrastructures destroyed in the region by the activities of Boko-Haram Insurgents and Bandits;
- Conceive, plan, and implement, in accordance with the set rules and regulations, projects and programmes for the sustainable development of the North West in the field of roads, education, health facilities, employment, industrialization, agriculture, housing and urban development, water supply, electricity, and commerce;
- To identify factors inhibiting the development of the region and assist the member States in the formulation and implementation of policies to ensure sound and efficient management of resources of the North West Zone;
- Tackle ecological and environmental problems that arise from desertification problems and other related environmental challenges in the Zone.
- The massive growth and activity of the agricultural sector evidenced by endless groundnut and cotton production have given way while the growth of local industries like textile and leather production has been stalled.
Supporting the bill, Sen. Adamu Aliero (PDP, Kebbi Central), assured that the commission will address growing challenges, youth development, instability, and insecurity which has caused so many industries to exit states like Kano and Kaduna in droves.
The bill was thereafter referred to the Committee on Special Duties for further legislative action.
