Graft: We won’t hesitate to wield the big stick, FG warns SEDC, NWDC

•Be innovative, Senator Kalu advises

From Okwe Obi, Abuja

The Federal Government has warned the Management Boards of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) and the North West Development Commission (NWDC), that it would wield the big stick should they indulge in corrupt practices.

Minister of Regional Development Abubakar Momoh, who spoke yesterday in Abuja at the inauguration of the boards said they must work collaboratively to meet the needs of the people.

According to Momoh, disputes should be resolved amicably, contrary to what plays out in different commissions and agencies, especially the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

He reminded the members that they are to serve for a four-year term and their tenure can only be renewed by President Bola Tinubu.

“While the government has made significant financial commitment to these commissions, we must emphasize that financial prudence, transparency and accountability will be non-negotiable.

“The resources entrusted to you must be managed with the highest standard of integrity and responsibility.

“To the newly inaugurated members once again, you have been chosen based on your experience, expertise and commitment to national service. It is now your duty to ensure that the Commissions operate efficiently and deliver tangible results to the people of your region.

“You will achieve this by ensuring that all projects and initiatives are need-driven, impactful and sustainable while embracing a culture of accountability and zero tolerance.

“Any breach of contract approval limits attracts severe sanctions. It is important to draw the attention of the boards and management of South East Development Commission and North West Development Commission that there are subsisting sections of establishment act as well as Federal Executive Council resolutions, charging the Ministry of Regional Development with the supervision of the commissions with power delegated to the honourable minister.”

Chairman, Senate Committee on SEDC, Orji Uzor Kalu, thanked President Tinubu for remembering the grassroots and advised the management board to be innovative in order to meet the needs of the people.

According to the lawmaker, tarring of roads was no longer fashionable. “I also want to warn that road tarring of roads is no longer fashionable. What is fashionable is that the commissions should go in and look for new innovations, innovations like building a common railway station, building a common power plant, building new cottage industries that will survive our people and to give the people work.

“If you produce groundnuts and you do not process groundnuts you have not passed. If you produce coal in Enugu State and you do not process coal, you have also not passed. Let us use God-given natural resources to energise our economy.”

He assured the commissions that the Senate would scrutinise their budgets and projects thoroughly to ensure that they are in tandem with the policies and programmes of the present administration.

“We assure you of our duty in the senate which is to look at your budget, look at the projects you are doing, look at what you are doing. We will be good police men to look at your activities.

“Be rest assured that our duty is to do oversight. My duty is the duty of oversight and I am happy my fellow who was in the same leadership position, Okechukwu, is part of them and the professor, the MD of North West, works in the senate, so he knows the rules on what we do.

“We are inspectors and we are going to inspect you very well. Both the houses, that is the House of Representatives and Senate, our duty is to inspect what you are doing without recourse to anybody and report straight to the senate and the president and commander-in-chief.

“The ministers have told you; use the people’s money and work for the money. Let people make the decent profit. Decent profit is 24 per cent and 30 per cent,” the former governor of Abia State said.

Also, SEDC Executive Director, Corporate Services, Barr. Sylvester Okonkwo, appealed to residents in the South East to join hands with the commission to develop the region. Okonkwon said: “Let us join hands to put down the infrastructure that will drive development in the region. If you heard the Minister of State, he described the South East as a commercial hub and that we are industrialists.

“I feel happy. Thanks be to God and the president for finding me worthy as one of the persons and agents of this development that must happen. The South East must take its rightful place in the comity of states of Nigeria, and regions, and I know we can do it.”