President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the immediate assumption of duty by the new Governing Council of the North East Development Commission (NEDC) on acting capacity pending Senate confirmation.
A press statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Dr Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, said the decision was taken in order to avoid a leadership vacuum in the commission.
The president also approved the immediate resumption of the new Managing Director and CEO of the commission, Umar Abubakar Hashidu, in acting capacity pending confirmation by the Senate.
Gwarzo said this follows the expiration of the tenure of the former board and MD of the commission on May 7, 2023.
According to him, Buhari has also approved that Barrister Bukar Baale takes over as the acting chairman of the commission alongside 10 other members of the governing board.
The president also directed the immediate handover by the officer currently overseeing the office of the managing director to the newly appointed acting MD/ chief executive officer with immediate effect.
He said the directive was to “avoid a vacuum in the day to day running of this very important and strategic commission pending the confirmation by the Senate.”
The Governing board comprises Suwaiba Idris Baba, Executive Director, Humanitarian Affairs (North East, Taraba); Musa Umar Yashi, Executive Director, Administration and Finance (North East, Bauchi); Dr Ismaila Nuhu Maksha, Executive Director, Operations (North East, Adamawa), and Umar Abubakar Hashidu, MD/CEO (North East, Gombe).
Others are Onyeka Gospel-Tony, Member, (South East); Hon. Mrs Hailmary Ogolo Aipoh, Member (South-South); Air Commodore Babatunde Akanbi (rtd), Member (South West); Mustapha Ahmed Ibrahim, Member (North West); Hadiza Maina, Member (North Central), Alhaji Grema Ali, Member (North East), and a representative from the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning.
