Senate on Thursday passed a bill to establish the North Central Development Commission.

This decision followed the presentation of the report by the Special Duties Committee, chaired by Senator Shehu Kaka from Borno Central.

The bill, known as the North Central Development Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2024 (SB. 140), was read clause by clause before being passed. This bill was initially sponsored by Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro from Benue South, and co-sponsored by Senator Sani Musa from Niger East. It passed its second reading in February 2024.

Senator Moro explained that the NCDC would manage funds from the federal government and donors to help resettle, rehabilitate, and rebuild areas affected by floods, farmer-herder clashes, and other issues. He said, “The Commission will tackle the menace of poverty, illiteracy, and other environmental or developmental challenges facing the North Central Nigeria.”

The North Central Zone includes the states of Kogi, Niger, Benue, Kwara, Plateau, Nasarawa, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Senator Moro highlighted the problems in the North Central Zone, such as terrorism, floods, insurgency, kidnapping, and farmer-herder clashes. He noted that these issues have caused significant damage and suffering in the region. “Over the past years, the North Central Zone of Nigeria has been devastated and left in bollix by the noxious antics of terrorists, incidents of flood and erosion, insurgency, kidnapping, herder/farmer clashes, poverty, high rate of illiteracy, to mention but a few,” he said.

The bill also aims to harness the region’s mineral resources and address the challenges posed by the Niger and Benue rivers, which cause frequent flooding.

Senator Moro stressed the importance of supporting the bill for the sake of fairness and development in the country. “Today, in the 10th Senate, this Bill is co-sponsored by all senators from North Central Zone across party lines,” he said. “I humbly urge you all to support this Bill for the Establishment of the North Central Development Commission and pass it appropriately for a second reading for equity, fairness and the development of our country.”