Senate: Bill to establish North West Development Commission passes second reading

By Musa Baba Adamu

The Senate has set machinery in motion to approve the establishment of the North West Development Commission, NWDC and National Youth Service Corps, NYSC Trust Fund, respectively.
Specifically, the bill seeking the establishment of the two legislations, passed for second reading on the floor of the Red Chamber on Thursday after lead and general debates on them.
Leading debate on the proposed NWDC, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Jibrin Barau, who sponsored it, said the commission, when established, would serve as a catalyst to develop the array of potentials of the North West as well as address the gap in infrastructural development of the region.
Barau lamented that the infrastructure of the zone has been immensely destroyed by the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents, armed bandits and kidnappers across the region, leading to the exodus of investors, businessmen, managers of companies and employees.
The destruction, he posited, is having a major impact on the economy of the region as it has led to severe food shortages and unemployment in a region that has traditionally produced cash and food crops across the Sahel.
He added that some parts of the region are currently facing the problem of desertification, which has led to agriculture and other economic activities suffering, thereby creating more poverty in the zone.
According to him, when established, the commission shall “formulate policies and guidelines for the development of the North West zone, where security shall prevail; and rebuild the road, medical, educational, social, agricultural and other infrastructure destroyed in the region by the activities of Boko-Haram insurgents and bandits.”
It was also meant to “conceive, plan and implement, in accordance with the set rules and regulations, projects and programmes for the sustainable development of the North West in the fields of roads, education, health facilities, employment, industrialization, agriculture, housing and urban development, water supply, electricity and commerce.”
“To identify factors inhibiting the development of the region and assist the member states in the formulation and implementation of policies to ensure sound and efficient management of resources of the North West zone; tackle ecological and environmental problems that arise from desertification problems and other related environmental challenges in the zone,” Barau stressed.
The Deputy Senate President went further: “The enactment of this bill will help to rebuild the North West zone and shall provide the opportunity for the people of the zone to display their talents and contribute immensely to the development of the country.”
On the NYSC Trust Fund, its sponsor, Senator Yemi Adaramodu (APC Ekiti South) said the Fund would help in the area of financing of skills acquisition and entrepreneurship for youth coprs members as start up capital and invariably, helped in making youth corps members after the national service to be employers of labour and not just job seekers.