Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Bayelsa State counterpart, Douye Diri, have urged the newly established regional development commissions to work closely with state governments and deliver tangible development projects across their respective regions.
The governors made the calls while receiving separate delegations from the South West Development Commission (SWDC) and the South South Development Commission (SSDC) in Lagos and Yenagoa.
Receiving the Chairman of the South West Development Commission, Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi, and members of the commission’s management at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, Sanwo-Olu charged the agency to justify its establishment by accelerating development across the South-West.
The governor, who also chairs the South West Governors’ Forum, assured the commission of the support of governors in the region to enable it to achieve its mandate.
He urged the commission to make prudent use of available resources, align its programmes with national development priorities and commence impactful projects without unnecessary delays.
“You can fast-track; you don’t have to work for a number of years to achieve what you need to achieve,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He also encouraged the commission to benchmark its performance against other regional development commissions by adopting successful initiatives that could benefit the South-West.
Responding to the commission’s proposal for South-West governors to serve as its advisory committee, Sanwo-Olu described the idea as commendable and pledged to discuss it with his colleagues.
He further promised to provide a liaison office for the commission in Lagos and ensure it receives the necessary institutional support.
Earlier, Adetunmbi said the visit was aimed at strengthening collaboration between the commission and governors in the region.
“The purpose of this visit is to extend courtesies to the Governor of Lagos State as Chairman of the South West Governors’ Forum. It is a good starting point for the commission to familiarise itself with the managers of the states in the South-West, beginning with Lagos,” he said.
In Yenagoa, Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri called on the South South Development Commission to partner with governors across the region in planning and executing development projects.
Receiving a delegation led by the commission’s Chairman, Chibudom Nwuche, Diri said collaboration with state governments was essential to addressing the region’s developmental challenges and avoiding duplication of projects.
The governor warned that undertaking projects without consulting host state governments could conflict with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Land Use Act, which vest control of land in state governors.
“Governors are the repository of the mandate of our people. We cannot do anything without talking to them. It is a good thing that you came to see us and have first-hand information about what we are doing,” Diri said.
He added that no government could solve all development challenges alone and pledged Bayelsa’s readiness to partner with the commission for the benefit of the South-South region.
Speaking during the visit, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the South South Development Commission, Usoro Akpabio, said the agency was established to drive regional transformation by aligning federal development initiatives with the priorities of state governments.
According to her, the commission is committed to complementing not duplicating the efforts of state administrations.
“The commission is founded on partnership and collaboration. We are here to support and strengthen states like yours with development efforts and not to duplicate them,” she said.
Akpabio commended the Bayelsa State Government for its investments in infrastructure, road connectivity, energy and economic development.
She also praised the state’s independent power initiatives and its investment in a state-owned airline, describing the projects as strategic interventions that would improve connectivity, attract investment, boost tourism and deepen economic integration across the South-South region.
