By Usman Abubakar Maiduguri
Northern Governors Forum has reaffirmed its commitment to repositioning the New Nigeria Development Company Limited (NNDC) to a viable platform of regional economic growth.
The Chairman of Forum’s implementation committee for the revitalisation of the company, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, expressed the reaffirmation in a statement by his Chief media aide, Dauda Iliya.
The committee has governors of Kwara, Zamfara and Plateau as members.
The NNDC which is now moribund, is to be repositioned to become a leading development finance institution, driving the commercial and industrial growth of the 19 Northern States through strategic investments and a diversified portfolio.
At the inaugural meeting on Monday, held at the office of the Kaduna State Secretary to the Government in Kaduna, Governor Zulum thanked the Northern Governors’ Forum for appointing an implementation Committee for the restructuring of the New Nigeria Development Company limited.
He recalled that in 2018, the Northern Governors’ Forum constituted a Technical Committee that submitted its report on restructuring the NNDC.
“Let me first and foremost commend the the Northern Governors’ Forum for appointing this very important committee to see that NNDC is back on stream,” Zulum stated.
“This committee under my leadership was set up based on that report of the Technical Committee to ensure smooth execution in line with global best practices, he added.
Governor Zulum assured both management and staff of the company that the committee will work tirelessly to restore the NNDC to its full potential, emphasizing that “NNDC remains the strongest economic legacy uniting the 19 Northern States symbolized by its iconic 10-storey headquarters building in Kaduna, which must be preserved”.
He further pledged that the committee would not only tackle the company’s institutional challenges but also address staff welfare. To this end, a feedback mechanism will be created to incorporate staff input in the restructuring process.
The meeting had in attendance Deputy Governors of Zamfara, Mani Malam Mummuni; Kwara, Kayode Alabi; and that of Plateau, Josephine Piyo; SSG of Adamawa state, and acting Chief of Staff to Borno State Governor, Dr Babagana Mustapha Mallumbe.
Others include Group Managing Director (GMD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shehu Usman Mai-Bornu; Executive Director, Management Services Directorate (MSD) Abdulkareem Mohammed Sani, and Executive Director, Investment Supervision Directorate, Khalil Alhassan Hamzat.
