The House of Representatives Committee on North West Development Commission has commended the Management of the Commission led by the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Professor Shehu Abdullahi Ma’aji, for coming up with laudable initiatives to catalyze rapid development of the region.
The commendation was made today in Abuja during a meeting chaired by Rt. Hon. Sulaiman Abubakar Gumi, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on North West Development Commission; pledging the committee’s continued support to the Commission in the implementation of its mandate.
The meeting was convened to assess the Commission’s progress, address operational challenges, and deliberate on critical issues including the proposed amendment to the Commission’s Establishment Act, the resolutions of the North-West Development Stakeholders’ Summit held in Kaduna, and budget implementation.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Committee acknowledged the delay in the commencement of the Commission’s operations and the slow pace of budget implementation over the past one and a half years, attributing it to considerable take-off challenges associated with establishing a new institution. He, however, emphasized that the urgent developmental needs of the region demand renewed commitment.
The Chairman commended Professor Ma’aji and his Management team for navigating the initial challenges and noted that the period had provided an opportunity for necessary planning and institutional coordination.
In his presentation, the Managing Director, Professor Shehu Abdullahi Ma’aji, thanked the House Committee for its constructive oversight and legislative support, and assured that Management is committed to strengthening the institutional framework to enhance effectiveness, transparency and accountability.
Professor Ma’aji affirmed that the planning period has been judiciously utilized to build a strong foundation for effective deployment of resources, and that Management is now poised to accelerate implementation.
He briefed the Committee on the Commission’s initial complementary interventions in the security sector, in view of the devastating impact of insecurity across the North-West, and disclosed plans to extend interventions to healthcare, education, agriculture, infrastructure, human capital development and economic empowerment for more far-reaching impact.
On resource mobilization, the MD aligned with the Committee’s position on the need to look beyond budgetary allocations. He cited the recent collaborative visit to the Russian Federation, including the Republic of Mordovia, which opened promising prospects in security and defence, education and scholarships, modern mining technology, railway development, agriculture and agro-industry, ICT, renewable energy, biomedicine, medical equipment and the halal economy.
He informed the Committee that the engagement has yielded commitments for 100% financing for some identified initiatives and Letters of Intent from investors for other projects, adding that Management will ensure proper due diligence, clear implementation frameworks and effective monitoring, guided by value for money and the long-term interest of the region.
Professor Ma’aji reiterated that the Commission’s oversight by the National Assembly is welcomed as a mechanism to strengthen capacity to deliver, and pledged that Management will provide a clear account of its financial and operational position and accelerate implementation to produce measurable results.
Signed:
Abdulrashid Y. Safana, anipr
Head, Press and Public Relations.
20/10/2026.
