Senate Committee Tasks North Central Development Commission on Rural Development, Agriculture, Security
By Pan Afric Reporters
The Senate Committee on the North Central Development Commission (NCDC) has directed the commission to prioritize rural development, agriculture, mining and security interventions, while ensuring prudent utilization of its monthly federal allocation to deliver tangible projects across the region.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on North Central Development Commission, Sen. Titus Zam disclosed this after an oversight meeting with the management of the commission, where both sides agreed on timelines for the implementation of programmes and projects.
The lawmaker said the committee and the commission reached a consensus on the need to ensure that available resources are judiciously deployed in line with the commission’s mandate of developing rural communities across the North Central region.
“We agreed with the management of the North Central Development Commission on the timelines for their activities. This commission is about developing our rural communities, and although the federal government has started funding them, the resources are still below expectations,” he said.
According to him, the Federal Government is currently releasing ₦2.9 billion monthly to the commission as a take-off allocation, describing the amount as inadequate compared to the commission’s approved budget.
“They are receiving ₦2.9 billion every month, which is just a drop in the ocean. The commission has a budget of over ₦140 billion, so what is being released is not even half of what was budgeted. However, we appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for ensuring that the commission has funds to commence operations,” he stated.
Senator Zam explained that the committee would immediately begin oversight visits, starting with the commission’s headquarters in Lafia before embarking on inspections of projects across the North Central states.
He said the oversight would ensure transparency, accountability and value for money in the execution of development projects.
The committee chairman further identified agriculture as a critical area requiring urgent attention, noting that the North Central possesses vast arable land, favourable rainfall and rich vegetation that make it Nigeria’s agricultural hub.
“We advised the commission to take agriculture very seriously because the North Central has enormous comparative advantage in that sector. We also discussed mining, which is another key economic strength of the region, and urged them to support its development.”
On security, he said the committee encouraged the commission to complement the efforts of security agencies and state governments in tackling insecurity across the region.
He added that rural infrastructure, including the construction of roads, culverts and bridges, must also receive priority attention to improve the living conditions of rural communities.
“We have also asked the commission to unveil its development blueprint so Nigerians can clearly see its priorities and measure its performance in the years ahead,” he said.
The senator expressed confidence that the committee and the commission would continue to work collaboratively to ensure the NCDC fulfills the vision behind its establishment and delivers meaningful development to the people of the North Central region.
