Senate committee endorses N140bn budget for North Central Development Commission

The Senate Committee on the North Central Development Commission (NCDC) has endorsed the proposed ₦140 billion budgetary allocation for the commission in the 2025 fiscal year, urging it to ensure judicious use of the funds once approved by the Senate.

The endorsement came after the committee, chaired by Senator Titus Zam, reviewed the budget proposal during a defense session held on Tuesday.

The Managing Director of the NCDC, Mr. Tsenyil Yiltsen, had appeared before the lawmakers to present and defend the commission’s spending plans.

Senator Titus Zam who announced the approval in his capacity as Chairman, said : ” After a careful look at the issues contained in the budget and the eloquent presentation by the MD and his team, the committee has approved the budget of N140 billion as presented by the Commission”.

Mr Yiltsen in his presentation before the committee said the N140billion was the envelope given them for the fiscal year by the federal government out of which N100billion is earmarked for capital expenditure across the six states in the zone and the federal capital territory and the balance of N40billion for recurrent expenditure covering overhead and personnel cost.

He explained that the N100billion is not tied to one specific project but numerous ones across the six states.

He assured the committee that the commission under his leadership would ensure even execution of projects across the all the states in the zone and the federal capital territory.

He added that the bulk of the N40billion earmarked for recurrent expenditure , will be used to pay salaries of proposed 200 staff to be recruited after approval by the office of Head of Service.

Though impressed by the presentation made by the NCDC boss, the Committee however urged the commission to ensure judicious utilization of the N140billion when finally approved by the Senate , particularly the N100billion , earmarked for capital expenditure.

It also urged governments of the benefiting six states in the zone and the federal capital territory to provide office accommodations for branches of the commission in their respective states.