The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has assured of its unwavering support to the North Central Development Commission (NCDC) by providing constructive counsel, policy engagement and practical proposals that would strengthen the Commission’s capacity to deliver on its mandate.
Vice Chairman of the MBF, Dr. Idi Waziri, who gave the assurance when he led members of the Forum on a visit to the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, also pledged the support of the Forum in the collective quest to drive sustainable development and unlock the vast potential of the North Central geopolitical zone.
Waziri said the visit was to congratulate the Governing Board and Management of the Commission on their appointments and to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for establishing the North Central Development Commission.
Waziri described the creation of the NCDC as timely, noting that the North Central region is grappling with enormous developmental challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, rising insecurity, poverty, unemployment, humanitarian crises and limited industrial growth.
He further said that the establishment of the Commission has rekindled hope among the people that the region’s long-standing developmental gaps will be addressed through strategic planning, collaboration and sustained engagement with stakeholders.
Speaking in turn, the Secretary of the Middle Belt Forum, Mr. Abah Ejembi, reaffirmed the Forum’s readiness to serve as both a constructive watchdog and a social mobiliser in support of the Commission’s success.
Ejembi said that the NCDC has a historic responsibility to transform the region, thus urged it to prioritise critical infrastructure, particularly road, rail and inland water connectivity, as essential drivers of economic integration and development.
Responding, the Chief Executive of the NCDC, Dr. Cyril Yiltsen Tsenyil, described the visit as encouraging and heart-warming, noting that it came from a respected organisation with a long-standing commitment to the progress and unity of the Middle Belt.
Tsenyil said the Commission devoted its early months to laying a solid institutional foundation while ensuring that citizens and critical stakeholders are actively involved in shaping its programmes and priorities.
The Managing Director also said that the NCDC had already undertaken extensive consultations across the region, including engagements with the Governors of Nasarawa, Plateau, Kogi, Benue and Niger States, all of whom have expressed readiness to partner with the Commission in achieving its developmental objectives.
Tsenyil further informed the delegation that the Commission was finalising a comprehensive development roadmap that would soon be unveiled.
He therefore extended invitation to the Middle Belt Forum to make meaningful contributions to the document and participate actively in the forthcoming North Central Stakeholders’ Summit.
Tsenyil urged the MBF to continue advancing practical ideas and innovative solutions that would enrich the Commission’s development agenda, assuring them that every credible recommendation would receive due consideration.
Dr. Tsenyil explained that the NCDC has continued to understudy the operations of older regional development commissions within and outside Nigeria in order to adopt global best practices. He stressed that the Commission would complement, rather than duplicate, the constitutional responsibilities of state and local governments.
A statement by Dr. Makut Simon Macham, Head, Media and Corporate Communication, NCDC, stated that Dr Tsenyil also said that the Commission is equally exploring alternative sources of funding through strategic partnerships with the private sector, development partners and other relevant institutions to accelerate the implementation of projects across the North Central region.
