A member of the board of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC), Comrade Solomon Adodo, has begun consultations with stakeholders in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to ensure their participation in the agency’s activities.
Adodo initiated the consultations yesterday during a visit to the palace of the Ona of Abaji and chairman of the FCT Council of Chiefs, His Royal Majesty, Alhaji Adamu Baba Yunusa.
He sought royal blessings from the revered monarch and acknowledged the indispensable role of the traditional institution, especially in community development and stability.
While addressing the Ona of Abaji and his chiefs, Adodo described his visit “as purpose-driven with a clear vision for grassroots transformation and a genuine intention of ensuring that the FCT is not only adequately represented in regional development plans, but also positioned as a vanguard of rural-to-urban impact.”
He said, “Aside from my honest resolve to catalyse development in the FCT, I must also reaffirm President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s steadfast commitment to fostering development in underserved communities and lifting citizens through inclusive, sustainable and practical initiatives.
“Let me assure you all that development does not wear the robe of ethnicity nor speak in the dialect of religious division. True development is impartial. It is visible. It is the essence of good governance felt in roads, healthcare centres, schools, markets and the dignity of human life, and these are the assurances you have with the current administration.
“The creation of the North Central Development Commission by the visionary leadership of President Tinubu is not a political gesture, but a strategic masterstroke designed to correct decades of structural imbalance and regional neglect. It serves as the President’s key tool to engage grassroots communities, break the cycle of underdevelopment, and deliver equity to regions long overlooked by federal attention,” Adodo said.
In his remarks, the monarch appreciated Adodo’s visit and commended the federal government for establishing the NCDC. He described Adodo’s emergence as timely and prayed for wisdom, strength, and courage to carry out his duty with equity and excellence, even as he pledged the full cooperation of the FCT traditional council.
“As gatekeepers and custodians of culture and the people, it’s always an honour to have critical stakeholders, policy makers, leaders of thought and government appointees pay us visits. It shows that we’re partners in progress, and consultations like this provide us with opportunities to be part of what the government is doing and to integrate our subjects for sustainable participation. The establishment of NCDC is timely, and we’re certain that it’ll accelerate development in the region. Be assured of our cooperation always,” he stated.
