Senate okays over N1trn NDDC budget, few days to end of session

The Senate on Tuesday approved over N1 trillion for the 2021 and 2022 budgets of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The total amount approved is N1,413,991,634,495.65 for 2021 and 2022 fiscal appropriation years of the commission.

While N485,794,575,131 was approved for 2021, N928,297,049,364.65 was approved for 2022.

Passage of the budget was sequel to a report of the Senate Ad hoc Committee on NDDC presented at the plenary.

The ad hoc committee chaired by Yusuf Yusuf (APC, Taraba Central) was constituted by the Senate to review expenditures of the NDDC in 2021 and 2022 by management of the commission without approval from the senate.

Mr Yusuf while presenting the report at the plenary complained that details of revenue and expenditures of the NDDC in 2021, 2022 and 1st quarter of 2023 were not provided by the concerned authorities in the ministry of finance.

He said the refusal of the authorities to provide the information could not allow the committee to ascertain whether the funds expended by management of the NDDC during the years under review followed financial regulations and conform to the bidding thresholds.

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, condemned the refusal of the Ministry of Finance and Accountant General of the Federation to provide necessary documents to the ad hoc committee.

The ad hoc committee recommended:

-That the Senate should direct its committee on Niger Delta Affairs to resolve the crisis between the NDDC Board and its management in order to ensure that the commission is legally compliant in all processes and focus on achieving its mandate.

“That the Senate mandates its committee on Niger Delta Affairs to wade in and resolve the obvious trust deficit between the NDDC Board and its management to ensure that the commission is legally compliant in all processes and focus on achieving its mandate,” the recommendations read.

-That the Adhoc Committee notes that without approval and regularising the 2021 and 2022 budget estimates, the Commission cannot operate the already approved Appropriation of the 2023 budget estimates as required by the provisions of the Public Procurement Act requiring the approval and performance of the previous years; and

-That in view of NDDC not meeting its contractual obligations which are liable to preponderance of litigation and considering the fate of about 40 million people in Niger Delta region, the Adhoc Committee hereby urges that the Senate do consider and approve the 2021 and 2022 budget proposals of the Niger Delta Development Commission as recommended by the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, earlier considered at the plenary and referred to this Adhoc Committee to investigate, and for further legislative action.