The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has charged the board and management of the South-South Development Commission (SSDC) to embark on developmental projects that will positively impact the lives of the people in the region and advance the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Senator Akpabio gave the charge when members of the newly constituted board of the Commission paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.
According to a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Anietie Ekong, Senator Akpabio urged the board to justify the confidence reposed in them by ensuring that the Commission delivers meaningful and sustainable development across the South-South region.
He said the Commission is saddled with a lot of responsibilities to develop the South South and contribute to the economic development of the six States of the region.
Akpabio also congratulate the President for finding it necessary to give the South South Development Commission,
He said one good turn deserves another, Niger Delta has been good to Nigeria the region kept the economy of the nation going and so giving this opportunity to further develop other resources in the Niger Delta is also evidence that Nigeria also cares about the people of the region too.
Akpabio thanked members of the two chambers of the National Assembly for passing the bill of the SSDC into law despite the initial hesitation because the region already had the Niger Delta Development Commission but assured that the mandate of the SSDC goes beyond the oil producing areas to cover every nook and cranny of the South South region.
He pledged the support of the National Assembly towards adequate funding of the development commissions across the six geo-political zones.
The Chairman of the board of the Commission, Prince Chibudom Nwuche, thanked President Tinubu, the Senate President and the National Assembly for their efforts in passing the SSDC bill into law despite the challenges and difficulties.
He said with the caliber of persons appointed into the management and board the SSDC will add value to the nation.
Prince Chibudom assured to keep faith in executing the core mandate of this Commission, saying they 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.
The pioneer Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission Ms Usoro Akpabio praised the visionary leadership of Senator Akpabio and the Senate in birthing the Commission and promised that the interventionist agency will carry out regional economic drive across the entire six States of the region.
According to Ms Akpabio the vision of the Commission cuts across human capital development and infrastructural renewal in the region.
She added that this Commission will align with other sister development agencies, and work with the states while we carry out our own independent mandate and will unlock the potentials and the stranded wealth of the South South people.
REL/Bashir M
