On September 4, 2025, The South-South Development Commission (SSDC) convened its inaugural board meeting in Abuja. marking a significant step toward operationalizing its mandate for regional transformation. The meeting, led by The Chairman Hon. Chibudom Nwuche, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, brought together the SSDC’s leadership to set a strategic agenda aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
In attendance were key figures including Ms. Usoro Offiong Akpabio (Managing Director), executive directors, and board members. Nwuche opened the meeting with a call to action, pledging a new era of accountability and inclusive growth for the region. He emphasized the SSDC’s commitment to addressing the South-South’s pressing challenges, including infrastructure deficits, environmental degradation, and economic diversification needs. *”This first board meeting marks the beginning of our work to deliver tangible progress for the South-South,”* Nwuche stated, emphasizing that under the guidance of the Renewed Hope Agenda, the commission’s vision will prioritize agricultural development, infrastructure enhancement, and inclusive growth etc , ensuring programs align with the needs of the South-South people. He stressed that the commission must act with urgency to deliver visible impact in the oil-rich but underdeveloped Sout- South region.
The SSDC’s key priorities as outlined in the enabling law include transportation, agriculture, housing, power, and the empowerment of youth and women. Nwuche underscored the importance of teamwork and collective effort, stating, *”To achieve our common objectives, we must practice self-suppression, moderate our individuality, tamper our ego and maintain absolute harmony with the members, management and directors.* *The key word should be “We” and not ” I “. We must agree and put the region first in every endeavor”.* He also stressed the importance of moderating one’s lifestyle. He noted that *“Our lifestyle must also be moderated, as most of the people we are called to serve are living in penury. We should live by example, and our actions must reflect the values of fairness, equity and justice which we seek to inspire in the region. We should be able to earn the trust and respect of the people we serve. Above all, we must place public interest and the interest of the region above self or personal interest.”*
Key directives and operational strategies outlined during the meeting include:
• Transparency and Due Process: Nwuche reiterated the importance of transparency and due process, echoing Minister of Regional Development Engr. Abubakar Momoh’s inauguration charge on August 28, 2025, to avoid personal or political agendas. The SSDC board committed to working without rancor, placing the people first, and maintaining transparency in all programs.
• Budget and Reporting: The commission must immediately prepare its first budget and quarterly report for President Bola Tinubu before September 30, 2025,in keeping with the enabling law.
• Project Execution: The chairman emphasized ensuring that *”projects executed in a timely fashion and contracts are treated fairly competitively and transparently”*. He added, *”We shall copy from models of development that we have seen for instance in the FCT Abuja where President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the FCT minister Nyesom Wike speedily completed abandoned projects and several projects awarded were completed within 12 months,and projects were only awarded where there were adequate provisions for substantial mobilization”.*
• E-governance and Digital Solutions: The Managing Director of the commission, Ms. Usoro Aabio, assured the people that SSDC will adopt e-governance and digital solutions to enhance transparency, efficiency, and citizen participation.
• Economic Diversification: Promoting the blue economy, art, culture, and tourism was highlighted as remaining “vital economic levers and the cultural treasures of the good people of the South-South”.
• Collaboration: The SSDC will work closely with state governments and the private sector to ensure its initiatives reflect the region’s priorities. The commission will also work closely with state governors, the national assembly, and other agencies to avoid duplication of efforts and ensure projects meet the actual needs of the people.
The meeting set a tone of professionalism and resolve, with the Managing Director of the commission, Ms. Usoro Aabio, declaring, *”This is more than a vision; it is a mandate, it is a call to action, a shared responsibility. The future of the South-South is not a distant dream; it is here and it is ours to shape”.* This positioning aims for the SSDC to drive impactful development across Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, and Rivers States.
