The Green Chamber (HoR) has launched a new committee aimed at expanding grassroots development efforts and tackling widespread poverty across Nigeria’s rural and peri-urban communities.
The Committee on Community and Social Development/NG-CARES was formally inaugurated last week at the National Assembly in Abuja. Representing the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen was Deputy Chief Whip, Rep. Ibrahim Ayokunle Isiaka, who presided over the ceremony attended by lawmakers, development partners, and representatives of the Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA).
In a message delivered on his behalf, Speaker Abbas underscored the role of community-focused programs in bridging social disparities and empowering underserved populations.
He described such initiatives as key to strengthening civic responsibility, fostering unity, and ensuring that development outcomes are shaped by those who live in the communities affected.
Chairman of the newly inaugurated committee, Rep. Abubakar Yahaya Kusada (APC, Katsina), called the move a clear commitment by the House to shift from rhetoric to results. He pledged that the committee would move beyond passive oversight and take an active role in shaping policies and outcomes.
“We’re here to serve with intent. Our work will involve engaging directly with communities, amplifying their concerns, and ensuring that development plans reflect real needs,” Kusada said.
The committee is tasked with assessing and improving national programs that support rural livelihoods, small-scale infrastructure, and access to education and healthcare. It will also oversee the operations of agencies such as the CSDA and the NG-CARES initiative, a World Bank-backed effort to mitigate economic hardship through localized interventions.
To date, CSDA has implemented projects that have reached over 23 million Nigerians across 29 states. NG-CARES, in turn, has provided livelihood support, cash transfers, and essential services to more than two million beneficiaries.
The House believes the committee’s work will strengthen transparency, improve service delivery, and bring the federal legislature closer to the people it serves.
By anchoring its efforts on community participation and evidence-driven oversight, the House signals a renewed focus on addressing long-standing development gaps through more responsive and grounded governance
