President Bola Tinubu has assented the North-West and South-East Development Commission Bills into law, thereby setting the stage for the establishment of the two interventionist agencies to address development challenges in the North-West and South-East parts of the country, respectively, following years of insecurity.
The Deputy President of the Senate and sponsor of the North-West Development Commission Bill, Senator Jibrin Barau, disclosed the presidential assent to the Bill during a chat with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday night.
Similarly, the chief press secretary (CPS) to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Levinus Nwabughiogu, took to his Facebook page on Tuesday night to also disclose that President Tinubu had assented to the South-East Development Commission Bill, which was sponsored by his principal, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu.
“South East Development Commission Bill signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
“Ndi Igbo, this government loves us
“Congratulations to my principal, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu (Enyi Abia) who championes this cause.
“Congratulations to Ndi Igbo worldwide,” Nwabughiogu wrote.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Senate President Barau has commended President Tinubu for assenting the North-West Development Commission Bill, which is now an Act of the National Assembly.
Expressing his happiness on the presidential assent to the Bill, the Deputy President of the Senate in a media chat with journalists said the commission, when established, would help to drive development across the seven states in the North-West zone.
He explained that he sponsored the Bill as one of the federal lawmakers from the zone as a means of restoring development to the area after years of Boko Haram insurgency in some parts of the zone, armed banditry and other anti-development criminalities.
He assured that stakeholders in the zone would collaborate to make the commission serve the purpose for which it was intended for and called on Nigerians to continue supporting President Tinubu in his development strides across the country.
Senator Barau, who represents Kano North, said: “President Bola Tinubu today signed into law, the North West Development Commission Bill sponsored by me.
“The Commission will assist in the development of geo-political zone in terms of required infrastructure, production of food, etc.
“It would be recalled that Boko Haram, kidnappers and bandits ravaged the zone like the North-East with attendant drop in development indices.
“With the assent to the bill, the coast is now clear for rebuilding of the zone.
“President Tinubu has no doubt shown that he loves the people and in the light of this, I called on Nigerians to be patient with Mr President.”