The Managing Director-nominee for South-West Development Commission (SWDC), Dr Charles Akinola, has pledged to build a very competitive regional identity for the commission.
Akinola stated this when he and other nominees appeared for screening before the Senate Committee on South-West Development Commission (SWDC) in Abuja on Wednesday.
He also said that the commission would look at one economic bloc as a defining feature of the commission.
Such a bloc, Akinola said, would allow the commission to build a very competitive regional identity that would attract investments and talents.
He said that the vision for the commission would be anchored on a strong regional development strategy.
“The vision will be anchored on a strong regional development strategy where we have six states, but one bloc,” he said.
Akinola said that he would bring his 30 years’ experience outside the walls of the university to bear in facilitating development to the south-west zone.
“My vision for the south-west is a globally-competitive, forward-looking and resilient economy in a prosperous Nigeria.
“The south-west is to be a leading hub for manufacturing, for innovation and for generation of job opportunities.
“I would like to see the south-west as a leader in digital industries and creative economy. So much is happening in that space already.
“We will build on where people are in terms of what they are already doing,” he said.
The managing director-nominee also said that he would ensure ‘a broader Nigerian Renewed Hope Agenda,’ if confirmed.
“You will realise that some of our brightest talents in this country are from the south-west.
“We will tend to be able to leverage the resources of these talents within and outside of the shores of this country,” he said.
Akinola further stated that infrastructure development and regional inter-connectivity would be a key priority of the commission.
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“We’re looking at energy self-sufficiency which will be the backbone for industrialisation in the south-west,” he said.
In his remarks, Chairman of the committee, Sen. Yunus Akintunde, said that the commission’s budget was just a line budget and not its capital vote.
“What you have is a take-off grant. It means the task rests on the management and the board.
“You are entering a special session; you are the pioneer set, which means you have special tasks to take off and I know God will help you,” he said. (NAN)
