More Regional Development Commissions? No

It the current rate, the nation is gradually tilting towards having a development commission for each of the six geo-political zones.

Following the establishment of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the North East Development Commission (NEDC), there have been agitations for a South-East Development Commission (SEDC), South West Development Commission and a North Central Development Commission.

In December 2023, the House of Representatives passed for a third reading, the South East Development Commission Bill, which was sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu and other lawmakers from the South East. We recall that the 8th Senate passed the South East Development Commission Bill which did not get presidential assent.

Similarly, in 2019, the senator representing Niger East, Mohammed Sani, introduced a bill seeking to establish the North Central Development Commission shortly after Senator Ibikunle Amosun from Ogun State sponsored a bill for the establishment of the South West Development Commission.

Of course, former Ogun governor and senator representing Ogun East in the current national assembly, Gbenga Daniel reintroduced the South West Development Commission (Establishment) Bill which has since passed a first reading.

Only recently, former Plateau State governor and senator representing Plateau South, Simon Bako Lalong reechoed the case for the establishment of a North Central Development Commission.

Lalong said creating the North Central Development Commission would fast-track the rebuilding of homes and economic activities of the people of the region which has been under relentless attacks by criminals and bandits.

One common thread is that the requests for the establishment of regional commissions are anchored on the need to address development challenges bedeviling different parts of the country. It is true that the regions have their peculiarities in terms of challenges and needs.

For instance, those championing the establishment of a South East Development Commission, stated that the commission will be charged with the responsibility to receive and manage funds from the allocation of the Federation Account for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of roads, houses and other infrastructural damages suffered by the region as a result of the effects of the civil war.

“The commission will as well tackle the ecological problems and any other related environmental or developmental challenges in the Southeast States which include Abia, Imo, Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi.”

Similarly, the APC senators’ forum, while throwing its weight behind the establishment of a North Central Development Commission asserts that it will tackle the challenges and other unfortunate security situations of the region and also enable the region to explore its full potential, utilize them appropriately and occupy its pride of place in the nation.

However, in our considered opinion, there is clearly no basis for the proliferation of regional commissions.

Even though reasons put forward by those championing the establishment of these regional commissions may look plausible, they further expose us as a nation of contradictions.

We cannot, at one breath, be harping on downsizing the number of ministries, departments and agencies, and at another breath, be agitating for the creation of more bureaucracies.

It is alarming that years after the government received the report of Stephen Orosanye’s committee on restructuring and rationalization of existing parastatals, commissions and agencies, a report that made far reaching recommendations including merger and scrapping of some agencies which received wide commendations from Nigerians, we are here agitating for the establishment of more regional commissions.

Clearly, a nation facing serious revenue challenges which has fueled the call for a drastic reduction in the cost of governance has no business creating more commissions which will inevitably end up as money guzzlers.

This Newspaper believes strongly that the agitation for more regional development commissions is misplaced, needless, self-serving and will not produce tangible results other than creating additional bureaucracy and avenues for some persons to pilfer the nation’s resources.

In our view, if effectively managed and insulated from corruption and other unethical practices which have, unfortunately, become the defining features of successive leadership, the current ministries and agencies can address the key development challenges that fuel the agitation for regional development commissions.

The existing regional commissions-NDDC and the NEDC- currently engage in construction of roads and bridges, schools, provision of skills acquisition and economic empowerment for youths. These clearly are activities that existing agencies, if properly managed, can handle. All that is needed is restructuring of existing agencies and commissions by making them more effective.