Collaborate with governors for success, Uba Sani tells North West Development Commission

Uba Sani, governor of Kaduna, says the North West Development Commission (NWDC) can only succeed if it works closely with governors in the region.

Sani spoke on Saturday when members of the commission’s board, led by Lawal Abdullahi, its chairman, paid him a courtesy visit at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House in Kaduna.

The governor said state executives are in the best position to identify development gaps in their respective domains and should be actively involved in setting the region’s agenda.

“As elected governors, we know areas where the zone is lagging behind,” Sani said.

“If you come up with programmes as a board without working with us to have common programmes and agenda, you may not succeed.

“The people will not own such programmes which do not have the input of governors and as such, they will not support them no matter how they are conceived.”

He urged the commission to hold town hall meetings and conduct a proper needs assessment to guide its priorities.

Sani said the commission must present its programmes to the governors for collective input and direction.

The governor also donated an office space and a utility vehicle to the commission to support its takeoff in the state.

“But having said all this, we are ready to give you 100% support. I know that you are also discussing with relevant stakeholders but there are no stakeholders at this critical situation than the governors,” he added.

“We will sit down as North West governors and where we need to make an input we will do so.

“Even we as governors, we don’t have the monopoly of wisdom. I urge you to hold town hall meetings, where you gather critical stakeholders to know what needs to be done.”

Abdullahi assured the governor of the commission’s loyalty to leaders in the zone.

He acknowledged that the commission is still in its early stages but said progress is being made.

Abdullahi added that the board will engage the governors through Sani to develop a “10-year development plan that we will be able to achieve collectively”.

“Our mandate is intervention, collaboration and support. We are ready to assist in every aspect of national development that will benefit the people, based on the governors’ guidance,”Abdullahi said.

“Most of the hurdles have been substantially surmounted and in a few months, it will be fully operational.”