NCDC: N2.9bn Monthly Allocation Inadequate, Senate Tells Executive

The Senate, through its Committee on the North Central Development Commission (NCDC), has described the N2.9 billion monthly allocation being released to the organisation as grossly inadequate when compared to the N140 billion budget earmarked for it in 2026.

Speaking with journalists after an interactive session between the committee and the commission’s management, its chairman, Senator Titus Zam, said the N2.9 billion monthly allocation to the NCDC would, by the end of the year, amount to less than half of its projected budget.

He posited that the monthly allocation from the N140 billion budgetary appropriation was only a temporary arrangement that would be improved upon.

“If you give someone that has a budget of N140 billion, N2.9 billion per month, in 12 months, it won’t be up to half of the entire budgetary sum.

“I suppose that is just a temporary package. When the commission finally comes to fruition, much more funding will be released. So we thank Mr President, we thank the executive for dropping something now, but look forward to more,” he said.

He, however, added that the Senate Committee would ensure the judicious spending of the current allocation by guiding the commission on priority areas.

“North Central is mostly an agricultural land. We have arable land, good rainfall, vegetation, and an agricultural policy. We need the Department of NCDC to take agriculture very seriously.

“We also have a challenge of insecurity. The commission is advised to support the security forces and the state government in complementing their efforts to mitigate the tide of insecurity in the region.

“We also ask them to take rural development very seriously because we are also rural in nature,” he said.