The newly constituted board of the South-South Development Commission (SSDC), being inaugurated today in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city raises high expectations of a fresh era of socio-economic transformation for the region.

With a mandate to tackle infrastructural decay, environmental degradation, and youth unemployment, the commissioners and executive directors are poised to hit the ground running.

The board composition and leadership of theCommission reflects a blend of seasoned professionals, technocrats, and political leaders drawn from the South-South and other geopolitical zones. Members include: Dr. Nkereuwem Christopher Ebong (Akwa Ibom), Larry Odey (Cross Rivers, Charles Zuofa (Bayelsa), Engr. Chika Chinedu (Rivers), Barr. Femi Oise (Edo), Dr. Charles Sylvester Enukhowhate (Delta), Tabitha Iliya Sallah (North East), Yusuf Rasaq Amao (North Central), Joseph Mmamal (South East) and Bukonola Braimoh (South West).

Also appointed are executive directors: Marcus Nie Eji (Projects), Aganaba Preye Steven (Social and Human Capital Development), Dr. Timi Alari Ayibatonye (Corporate Services), Joseph Ogheoke (Commercial and Environmental Development), and Ambassador Sony Abang (Finance).

The board is chaired by Rt. Hon. Chibudom Nwuche, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, with Ms Usoro Akpabio as Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director. Together, they are tasked with steering the Commission into a results-driven institution.

The SSDC’s mandate and primary responsibilities cut across multiple strategic sectors:

Strategic Planning and Policy Direction: Formulating progressive policies to stimulate sustainable economic growth, covering infrastructure, environmental management, social inclusion, and economic diversification.

Project Oversight and Implementation: Identifying and supervising development projects including roads, schools, hospitals, industrial hubs, and housing estates; ensuring transparency and timely delivery.

Equitable Resource Allocation: Reviewing and approving annual budgets while guaranteeing fair distribution of resources across states to prevent marginalization.

Community Representation and Engagement: Serving as liaisons between local communities, governments, traditional rulers, and the private sector to build development partnerships.

Peace-Building and Youth Empowerment: Tackling unemployment, restiveness, and ethnic tensions through education, skills acquisition, and entrepreneurship programmes.

Ethical Leadership and Good Governance: Upholding transparency, accountability, and public trust in line with the Commission’s enabling law.

Environmental Restoration: Advocating for ecosystem restoration, clean energy initiatives, and conservation projects to address the region’s oil-induced degradation.

Stakeholders’ Optimism; Stakeholders across the South-South and beyond have lauded the creation of the SSDC as a turning point for regional development.

Abuja-based legal practitioner and human rights activist, Barr. Jacob Brown Udobang, congratulated the appointees, expressing confidence in their capacity to deliver.

“The inauguration of the SSDC board is a significant step toward correcting years of neglect in the region.

“With their acumen and experience, the South-South should experience accelerated development,” Udobang said.

Another commentator, Uduak Iniodu, described the SSDC as one of the most forward-looking policy decisions of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

According to him, decentralizing development through regional commissions represents a bold shift in Nigeria’s governance approach.

“The South-South, despite being the economic powerhouse of the nation due to its oil and gas resources, has endured systemic neglect, environmental degradation, poor infrastructure, and unemployment for decades.

”Establishing the SSDC is an attempt to balance this injustice by empowering the region to chart its own development path,” he stated.

Addressing Historic Neglect: The South-South has long played a pivotal role in Nigeria’s economy, contributing the bulk of its oil and gas resources. Yet, the region has remained underdeveloped, plagued by poverty, unemployment, and environmental hazards caused by decades of oil exploration.

Analysts say the SSDC’s establishment reflects a recognition of these long-standing grievances.

Beyond federal intervention, the Commission is designed to empower local leadership to drive a development narrative rooted in the peculiar needs of the region.

Collaboration with Sister Agencies: Observers also believe collaboration between the SSDC and existing agencies like the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) will be crucial. Peer-review mechanisms, joint programmes, and resource pooling are expected to enhance efficiency and prevent duplication of efforts.

A Vision for the Future: If guided by professionalism, transparency, and commitment, the SSDC has the potential to serve as a model for regional development across Nigeria.

Stakeholders envision a South-South region where oil wealth translates into improved infrastructure, robust industrialization, empowered youth, and restored ecosystems.

For now, the spotlight rests firmly on the new board and its leadership team. The expectations are enormous, the challenges daunting, but the opportunities unprecedented.

The SSDC’s success or failure will ultimately shape not just the future of the South-South, but also Nigeria’s broader development trajectory.