The Senate and House of Representatives Committees on the North-West Development Commission, in collaboration with NWDC, will hold a one-day summit on January 31 in Kaduna.

This was announced in a statement jointly signed by the Senate committee chairman on NWDC, Babangida Hussaini, and his House of Representatives counterpart, Sulaiman Abubakar, in Abuja on Thursday.

The summit will be held at Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Conference Centre, Murtala Muhammad Square, Kaduna, at 9:00 a.m.

According to the statement, the summit is designed to bring together key stakeholders from across the seven North-West states to reflect on the zone’s development challenges and align priorities for sustainable growth.

“The North-West faces complex and interconnected challenges, ranging from insecurity and infrastructure gaps to youth unemployment and social development deficits. These issues cannot be addressed in silos. This summit provides a platform for honest dialogue, shared ownership and coordinated action,” it said.

Participants at the summit include the North-West Governors’ Forum, federal and state government officials, members of the National Assembly, traditional and religious leaders, development partners and private sector players. Others include non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations, academics, youth and women’s groups, and media representatives.

The statement said that the summit would feature plenary sessions, technical discussions, and sector-focused engagements to strengthen collaboration, improve policy coherence, and support the effective implementation of the commission’s mandate across the zone.

It further noted that outcomes from the summit would help guide NWDC’s programmes and interventions and foster stronger partnerships among stakeholders committed to the development of the zone.

Development commissions were created by President Bola Tinubu to drive regional development.

(NAN)