WorldStage– President of Senate, Godswill Akpabio has urged board and management of South -South Development Commission (SSDC) to execute developmental projects to improve living standard of people of the zone.
He also urged the board to further the renewed hope agenda of the administration of President Bola Tinubu in the zone.
A statement by the Special Assistant to on Media and Communication to Akpabio, Mr Anietie Ekong on Friday indicates that Akpabio gave the charge, when the board of the new commission paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.
Akoabio said that the commission was saddled with a lot of responsibilities to develop the South -South and contribute to the economic development of the six states of the zone.
“The ball is in your court to add value to the South- South zone through this development commission.
“You have a lot of responsibilities to develop the zone I want you to know that it is not a bonanza, but a call to service.
“It is a call to put on your thinking cap to add value to the economy of the nation, to add value to the renewed hope agenda of the President who set up this commission.”
Akpabio congratulate President Tinubu and thanked him for finding it necessary to establish the South- South development commission.
“They say, one good turn deserves another, the Niger Delta has been good to Nigeria and we have kept the economy of the nation going.
“And so giving us this opportunity to further develop other resources in the Niger Delta is also evidence that Nigeria also cares about us,” he said.
Akpabio thanked members of National Assembly for passing the bill of the SSDC into law in spite initial hesitation, given the existence of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
According to him, mandate of the SSDC goes beyond the oil producing areas to cover every nook and cranny of the South -South zone.
He pledged the support of the national assembly on adequate funding of the development commissions across the six geo-political zones.
“We shall continue to support you to fully take off and execute big projects that we shall come and inaugurate, we will support you to make sure you are adequately funded.
“You can count on me, my office and my colleagues, we will support you to succeed.”
Chairman of the board of SSDC, Mr Chibudom Nwuche, thanked President Tinubu, the Senate President and the national assembly for their efforts in passing the SSDC bill into law.
He said, given the pedigree of persons appointed into the management and board the SSDC, the organisation would add value to the zone and nation.
“Under my leadership as Chairman, I assure you that we shall keep faith in executing the core mandate of this commission.
“We will work closely with you and the Senate and listen to guidance from our stakeholders. We will avoid the mistakes of the past and make sure our people feel the impact of governance,” he said.
The pioneer Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Ms Usoro Akpabio praised the visionary leadership of Akpabio and the Senate in birthing the commission.
She promised that the interventionist agency would carry out regional economic drive across the entire six states of the zone.
According to her, the vision of the commission spans across human capital development and infrastructural renewal in the zone.
“This commission will align with other sister development agencies and work with the states while we carry out our own independent mandate.
“We will unlock the potentials and the stranded wealth of the South -South people.
to be a role model for other developmental agencies in Nigeria because we will carry out sustainable development for the people.
“We will unlock the potentials of the South -South people and at the same time we will use the opportunity to bring out a lot of talents in the zone across all sectors,” she said.”
