By USMAN ALIYU

The Federal Government has announced plans to enforce strict performance benchmarks for regional development commissions to curb duplication, boost accountability and ensure measurable impact across Nigeria’s development programmes.

Abubakar Momoh, Minister of Regional Development made this known on Thursday in Benin while delivering his keynote address at the three-day management retreat for regional development commissions.

The retreat was organised by the Ministry of Regional Development in collaboration with Regional Development Commissions.

Momoh asserted that the era of fragmented interventions, abandoned projects and inter-agency rivalry must end.

“One of the recurring challenges we face is duplication of efforts, uncompleted projects, and inter-agency rivalry. This has to stop,” he declared.

The minister disclosed that, as a key outcome of the retreat, the leadership of the commissions would enter into performance bonds with the ministry, defining clear benchmarks and indicators for evaluating progress.

He stressed that new projects would only commence after existing ones were substantially completed and assessed for impact.

According to him, the government will enforce transparency, accountability and strict adherence to due process.

“This retreat is not just another meeting; it is a significant milestone in reaffirming our shared responsibility to transform our regions into zones of prosperity, peace and opportunity,” he said.

The minister explained that the establishment of additional commissions, covering all six geo-political zones, was part of a broader strategy under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to drive inclusive, spatially targeted development.

He outlined priority areas including infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, digital connectivity, security and youth empowerment, urging the commissions to harness each region’s comparative advantages.

Earlier in his address, the Minister of State for Regional Development, Uba Ahmadu, described the retreat as a “call to action”, emphasising that unlocking regional potential requires fresh thinking, stronger collaboration and decisive implementation.

“This theme is not merely a slogan. It is a call to action. We must think afresh, collaborate more intentionally, and act with greater urgency,” he said.

Ahmadu added that the retreat was designed to deepen synergy among the ministry, the commissions, the National Assembly and development partners.

He said that it also provides a platform for honest reflection through sessions where agencies would “tell their stories as they are.”

He highlighted the presentation of the Draft National Regional Development Policy as a major milestone toward establishing a coherent framework for balanced growth across the country.

Also speaking, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Regional Development, Jide Ipinsagba, said the retreat must go beyond routine deliberations to produce practical and scalable solutions.

“No nation can achieve true prosperity if growth is uneven or opportunities are limited to a few centres,” he said.

He pledged legislative backing and oversight to ensure effective implementation of policies.

Representing Gov. Monday Okpebholo, the Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa, said the retreat was timely, given Nigeria’s uneven development trajectory, noting that “no region must be left behind.”

He added that sub-national progress depends on strong federal support, while reaffirming the state’s commitment to policies that promote industrialisation, security and economic growth.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that retreat brought together chairmen and chief executives of key commissions.

The commissions included the Niger Delta, North East, South East, North West, South South, South West and North Central Development Commissions, alongside development partners such as UNICEF and UNDP. (NAN)