Minister warns against corruption in contract awards as Gov. Sule, others pledge support for grassroots development
By Dr. Nafisat Makinde
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda received a major boost on Thursday as the Federal Government inaugurated the Board of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC) in Abuja, with a call to shun corruption and focus on grassroots transformation.
Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, who presided over the ceremony, cautioned the new board against sharp practices in the award of contracts. He explained that the establishment of regional development commissions was central to Tinubu’s drive to promote fairness, equity, and balanced growth across the federation.
Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Labaran Shu’aibu Magaji, reaffirmed his administration’s readiness to partner with the commission, noting that Nasarawa had already provided a befitting headquarters in Lafia to ensure its smooth take-off.
In her goodwill message, Minister of Women Affairs, Hon. Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, commended the President for ensuring women’s inclusion on the board, while urging greater representation in national development initiatives.
Board Chairman, Cosmos T. Akyhir, pledged that members would “hit the ground running,” promising to align their programmes with the Renewed Hope Agenda. Other goodwill messages came from Senator Ita Enang and representatives of the National Assembly leadership.
The inauguration also covered the boards of the South-South and South-West Development Commissions, underscoring Tinubu’s broader strategy to use regional commissions as engines for agricultural, mining, and social development across the country.
