By Ezra Odogwu
In line with the current administration’s agenda to bring wholistic development to all parts of the country, President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Dr Mike Uyi, as a Member of the Board of the North West Development Commission for an initial term of four years representing the South South.
The president has further mandated the commission to redouble its efforts in the North West so that the years of developmental challenges and uneven progress can quickly give way to that of peace and sustainable development.
In a letter dated January 24, 2025, the president said the newly appointed board member comes highly recommended, urging him to use his years of experience in peace building, people’s management and conflict resolution to bring peace and sustainable development to the region.
It would be recalled that the Senate recently confirmed the appointment of the board members of the North West Development Commission nominated by President Bola Tinubu, while the senate president, Godswill Akpabio, announced the confirmation after the committee has screened the nominees. The Senate subsequently confirmed the appointment while encouraging the board members to work in accordance with the law of the country and serve the people of the North-West region with fairness and justice.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it would also be recalled has forwarded the names of members of the inaugural Governing Board of the North West Development Commission (NWDC) to the Senate for confirmation. The step follows the President’s signing of the North West Development Commission Bill into law on 24 July,2024 marking a crucial milestone in the commission’s establishment.
With the latest composition of the NWDC Governing Board, Haruna Ginsau from Jigawa is the, Chairman, while Haruna Ginsau (Jigawa from Kano state is the managing director and chief executive officer.
Others members of the board are Dr. Yahaya Umar Namahe, Hon. Aminu Suleiman, Ja’afar Abubakar Sadeeq, Yahaya Aminu Abdullahi, Hon. Engr Muhammad Ali Wudil, Shamsu Sule, Nasidi Ali, Chukwu Chijtoke, Ahmed Mohammed, Engr. Ahmed Rufai Timasantyu, Macdonalds Michael Uyi and Hon. Babatunde Dada.
The nominated board members are expected to contribute their wealth of experience and expertise to the Commission’s mandate of developing the North-west region, with The NWDC expected to focus on catalysing significant growth, economic empowerment, and social development of the region
The newly appointed board member of the NWDC representing the South South, Dr Mike Uyi, is a foremost human rights and conflict resolution experts. He is the President General of the United Kingdom based Global Peace Movement International.
Responding to his appointment by the president, Dr Uyi commended President Bola Tinubu for his wisdom and foresight in creating and strengthening development commissions across the country, pointing out the president is passionate about bring development and peace to all regions in Nigeria.
He said the establishment of the NWDC is not only a historic milestone but also an act of commitment from the federal government to support and rebuild the North West, particularly in the face of insecurity, poverty and infrastructural decay.
According to him, the creation of the NWDC is especially important as it addresses a spectrum of challenges faced by the region, which has been ravaged by insecurity, especially banditry and kidnapping. These issues, Uyi pointed out, has displaced thousands of families, disrupted communities, and stunted economic activities, particularly in the agricultural sector.
He lamented that agriculture, which is the backbone of the northwest economy, has been severely impacted as farmers abandon their lands in fear of attacks, resulting in a decline in food production and posing a threat to the nation’s food security.
He decried the challenge of insecurity, which he said has deprived numerous children of their right to education, noting that the NWDC aims to tackle this crisis head on, with a focus on restoring educational infrastructure, ensuring access to learning, and creating safe environments for children.
Promising to bring more international exposure, awareness and value to the work the leadership and management of the NWDC was already, the new board member commended the senate president for his masterful and all-inclusive leadership of the national assembly, saying the senate president has clearly proven himself as a strong pillar of legislative and political support to the success of the Tinubu’s administration.
