FG inaugurates Core Working Group to drive regional development
As part of steps to operationalise President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Federal Government has inaugurated the Core Working Group (CWG) on Regional Development in the country. CWG was established to drive coordinated and harmonized implementation of the regional development initiative across the federation. The primary purpose is to provide technical leadership, strategic […]
As part of steps to operationalise President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Federal Government has inaugurated the Core Working Group (CWG) on Regional Development in the country.
CWG was established to drive coordinated and harmonized implementation of the regional development initiative across the federation.
The primary purpose is to provide technical leadership, strategic alignment, and operational oversight for the regional development programme.
The Minister of Regional Development, Mr Abubakar Momoh, while inaugurating the CWG, commended President Bola Tinubu’s firm commitment to balanced growth and inclusive national development.
Momoh described development commissions as strategic instrument for addressing long-standing regional development gaps while responding to evolving socio-economic and security concerns across the country.
Momoh, represented by Uba Ahmadu, Minister of State FMRD expressed the ministry’s commitment to ensuring the smooth operation and effective coordination of the Regional Development Commissions (RDCs) for the wellbeing of Nigerians and urged the CWG to develop a policy framework that would be practical and responsive to the diverse needs of the regions, embody realism, while inspiring confidence among stakeholders.
He also said that their efforts must reflect local realities, priorities, and comparative advantages, “your policy thrust must align with national development plans and global best practices, ensuring continuity beyond political cycles,’’ Momoh said.
In her remarks, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Regional Development, Dr Mariam Masha, expressed the commitment and support of the presidency to the CWG and the FMRD, emphsising that the inauguration of the CWG represented a decisive step from `strategy to execution’.
Masha stressed the need for the CWG members to ensure that development was not only national but regionally grounded and truly shared.
She said, “This inauguration formalises the CWG, a critical technical mechanism designed to ensure strategic alignment and operational coordination across all stakeholders.”
Masha said the goal of Tinubu’s led government’s Renewed Hope Agenda is to reduce long-standing disparities in economic opportunity and human development by driving inclusive growth across all regions.
“The Office of the Vice President – Regional Development Programmes (OVP-RDP) is fully committed to providing the strategic support required to ensure the Ministry’s regional development goals are achieved.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Mary Ogbe, said that regional development was central to reducing disparities, fostering social cohesion and unlocking economic opportunities in all parts of Nigeria.
“By inaugurating this CWG, we are formally putting in place a dedicated team that will drive the design, coordination and implementation of key regional development initiatives, policies and programmes,’’ she said.
Ogbe said that the two days training was to ensure a results-based approach that ensured that the ministry’s policies and programs respect, protect and fulfill the rights of our citizens, especially the marginalised and undeserved communities.”
Ms Wafaa Abdelatef, the Country Representative, UNICEF Nigeria, described the inauguration as a significant step forward and “a promise to Nigeria’s children of a future that is equitable, resilient, and full of opportunity.”
Abdelatef, who was represented by UNICEF Chief Social Policy, Dr Mamidar PruFON, expressed UNICEF support and commitment to the CWG aimed at assisting each region in realising its maximum potential.