By Obeten Godfrey
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Ms. Usoro Akpabio as the pioneer Managing Director of the newly established South South Development Commission (SSDC).
This was disclosed in a letter sent to Senate President Godswill Akpabio by the President on Thursday.
The memo listed the appointees nineteen persons for the North Central Development Commission, with Cosmas Akiyir as chairman and Cyril Yeltsin as managing director.
The South-West Development Commission has eighteen appointees, with Senator Olubunmi Adetunbi and Dr Charles Akinola as chairman and managing director, in that order while the South South Development Commission has eighteen members on its board, with Chibudom Nwuche as chairman and Usoro Offiong Akpabio as managing director.
An indigene of Akwa Ibom state, Ms. Akpabio brings to the role a solid blend of industry expertise in the oil and gas sector, and is expected to harness development across the South-South region.
The South-South Development Commission is among the newly established regional Commissions established by President Tinubu to address ecological degradation and economic disparities in Nigeria’s oil-producing region, with a focus on road infrastructure, education, healthcare, industrialization, and trade, which will help unlock the economic potential of the South-South, fostering job creation and improving the quality of life for millions.
The ministry is also responsible for coordinating inter-regional collaboration, while enhancing infrastructure, economic growth, and social welfare, ensuring comprehensive development in all aspects of the region’s economy.
The nominees will be screened by respective committees before confirmation.