The Senate Committee on the North Central Development Commission (NCDC) has directed the commission’s leadership to ensure that monthly allocations received from the Federal Government are quickly deployed to projects capable of delivering measurable results across the region.
The committee’s chairman, Senator Titus Zam, gave the directive while speaking with journalists on Tuesday after a closed-door session with the commission’s management in Abuja.
According to Zam, the meeting focused on the commission’s work plan and implementation schedule, with lawmakers emphasising prudent management of available resources despite funding limitations.
He said, “What we have done is to meet with the management of the North Central Development Commission on the timelines for their activities. You know that this commission is about developing our rural communities.
“And we have heard the MD say that the Federal Government has started funding them, even though what is being given is not as much as they would expect. But there is always a gap between our wishes and reality.
So the FG has started giving them some allocation each month. And we have met with them and agreed that those funds should be promptly used so that there will be deliverables at the end of the year in tandem with their mandate.”
Established to drive infrastructure, rehabilitation and economic growth across the North Central states, the commission is expected to complement the efforts of federal and state governments by improving rural infrastructure while promoting agriculture, mining and other key sectors, particularly in communities affected by insecurity and underdevelopment.
As part of its oversight responsibilities, the Senate committee also resolved to begin inspections of the commission’s operations, starting from its headquarters in Lafia, Nasarawa State, before extending visits to projects across the six North Central states.
Zam said, “We also agreed to commence immediate oversight visits first to their office in Lafia, Nasarawa and thereafter moved around the North Central states to see the programmes and projects they have executed or plan to carry out.
“So, we have all agreed to work together to support them, and they have agreed to also perform credibly to avoid disappointing Mr President Bola Tinubu, who brought this idea to fruition,” he stated.
Speaking on the commission’s financial position, the senator revealed that it currently receives N2.9 billion every month from the Federal Government, describing the allocation as inadequate when measured against its approved N140 billion budget.
He said, “Every month, they are given N2.9bn. And that’s just a drop in the ocean. For now, that’s what is being given to them. Remember that they had a budget of N140bn.
If you give someone who has a budget of N140bn and he gets N2.9bn, multiply by 12 months. That is still not up to half of its budget.
“So we thank Mr President for, at least, dropping something for the take-off. I suppose that is just a takeoff funding.
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When the commission finally comes on stage, it is expected that much more will be released. For now, that’s what they are being given.”
Zam further disclosed that lawmakers advised the commission to channel its efforts into sectors where the North Central region has significant economic advantages and pressing development needs.
He said, “That was also considered, actually. The North Central region has certain comparative advantages over and above other regions. For example, North Central is mostly agricultural land.
We have arable land, good rainfall and vegetation conducive to agriculture. So, we urge the management of NCDC to take agriculture very seriously.
“We also spoke about mining. Most North Central states are into mining, which needs to be supported. We also have a challenge of insecurity.
The commission is advised to support the security forces and the state government to complement their efforts towards mitigating the tides of insecurity within the region.
“We also ask them to take rural development very seriously because we are also rural in nature. Apart from state capitals and a few local wetlands, most of North Central is rural. So they have to concentrate on doing things like culverts, bridges and so on,” he noted.
The committee chairman reaffirmed the Senate’s commitment to working closely with the commission to ensure it fulfills its mandate and delivers meaningful development projects across the North Central region.