The Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, on Thursday warned regional development commissions to complete ongoing projects before embarking on new ones.
He also cautioned against duplication of efforts and inter-agency rivalry among the commissions, noting that the practice must stop.
The minister gave the warning in Benin at the opening of a two-day sectoral retreat for the leadership of the ministry, boards and management of the seven regional development commissions, as well as National Assembly members, themed “Fresh Ideas to Unlock the Potentials of the Region.”
While reminding heads of the commissions of the reason President Bola Tinubu set them up, the minister said the initiative is not anchored on geo-political considerations but on a strategic commitment to geo-spatial development, recognising the need for a multi-sectoral, area-based and spatially targeted approach to drive regional economic and social transformation.
He said: “One of the recurring challenges we face is duplication of efforts, uncompleted projects, and inter-agency rivalry. This has to stop. New projects must only commence when existing ones are substantially completed and assessed for impact.
“I will also admonish the regional development commissions to ensure they complete a project before embarking on another.”
The minister urged the commissions to prioritise roads, bridges, transportation links, investments, healthcare delivery, security, digital infrastructure and youth and women empowerment.
He said they should also work towards a common national objective of equitable and sustainable development that leaves no citizen behind.
He added: “Beyond the focus areas, the commissions must also look into the possibility of establishing centres of excellence in healthcare delivery and other fields of human endeavour.
“We must invest decisively in critical infrastructure — physical and digital — to ensure seamless connectivity and accessibility across and within regions.”
Momoh, who described the retreat as “not just another meeting but a significant milestone in reaffirming our shared responsibility to transform our regions into zones of prosperity, peace and opportunity,” disclosed the ministry’s plan to introduce a system of peer review among the commissions to foster healthy competition and continuous improvement.
He urged participants to use the retreat to interrogate their practices, challenge themselves and strengthen collaboration. “Let us leave here with renewed energy, clear commitments and a shared determination to deliver on the promises we owe our regions and our people,” he said.
In his address, Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo urged participants to work together to achieve the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President.
The governor, represented by his deputy, Dennis Idahosa, said: “At this point in our history when Nigeria’s development path has been uneven, fresh ideas become imperative to address these challenges.”
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