President Bola Tinubu championed true federalism when he was the governor of Lagos State between 1999 and 2007. He believes that the regions and the states should play a key role in the rapid development of the nation.
There is no doubting the fact that Nigeria is in dire need of rapid development to take care of its rising population. That much-needed development cannot come from the central government alone.
Since the advent of his administration in 2023, President Tinubu seems determined to change the negative narrative of over-dependence on the government at the centre for development at the State level. The actions he has taken so far to steer the country in the direction of true federalism point to the fact that he has not abandoned his principled stance on federalism.
Late last year, he directed the Attorney General of the Federation to file a case at the Supreme Court aimed at granting autonomy to local governments, which are the closest tier of government to the grassroots. The apex court ruled in favour of the Federal Government and local councils are now poised to receive their federal allocations directly, instead of through the states, who often times divert such funds, thereby depriving the grassroots of the much needed development.
Five regional commissions have been created since President Tinubu assumed office. They are the North West Development Commission, South East Development Commission, South West Development Commission, South South Development Commission, and North Central Development Commission. These are in addition to the North East Development Commission and Niger Delta Development Commission, which were created before he assumed office.
Every region has its peculiar needs. These development commissions will afford each region to focus on its most pressing needs.
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The South East Development Commission has a tremendous significance because attempts to create it in the past failed due to lack of support of the successive governments. At the end of the unfortunate civil war in 1970, the then Military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, announced the three Rs: Reconstruction, Reconciliation, and Rehabilitation, in order to fully integrate the South East region to the Nigerian project. Unfortunately, a development commission to facilitate the reconstruction of the region devastated by the war was never created. In addition, the region faces gully erosion threatening to obliterate some communities. It is believed that the new South East Development Commission has the capacity to address these challenges if well funded.
The Federal Executive Council in October 2024 created the Ministry of Regional Development to oversee the activities of the development commissions. These new commissions have the capacity to drive regional development and empower the people.
This President Tinubu’s bold initiative deserves to be commended and the states and local governments should support it in order for the development commissions to achieve their objectives.
. Osikhekha is a public affairs analyst.
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