The Senate has remained silent amidst growing public outrage over the ₦140 billion budget allocated to the North Central Development Commission (NCDC) for a three-month period.
Civil society groups, analysts, and concerned citizens have questioned the justification for such a substantial sum in a short timeframe, particularly given Nigeria’s ongoing economic challenges.
Efforts to get an official response from the Senate have been unsuccessful, as neither the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the NCDC, Senator Titus Zam, nor Senate spokesperson Senator Yemi Adaramodu responded to calls or messages.
LEADERSHIP Weekend reports that the Senate Committee on NCDC, led by Senator Zam, had approved the proposed ₦140 billion budget for the Commission after a presentation by the NCDC Managing Director, Mr. Tsenyil Yiltsen.
Senator Zam said, “After a careful review of the budget and the eloquent presentation by the MD and his team, the committee has approved the ₦140 billion budget as presented.”
Of the ₦140 billion, ₦100 billion is earmarked for capital expenditure across the North Central states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), while ₦40 billion will cover recurrent costs, including personnel and overhead expenses.
Yiltsen explained that the capital budget would be distributed across various sectors, including security, agriculture, mining, environmental protection, education, health, and infrastructure.
Despite the committee’s endorsement, many analysts have raised concerns about the timing and scale of the budget, particularly with only three months left in the fiscal year. Critics argue that such a large allocation within such a short period raises questions about transparency, fiscal discipline, and the proper use of public funds.
