The Senate Tuesday through its Committee on North Central Development Commission (NCDC) described the N2.9 billion monthly allocations given to the Commission as grossly inadequate when compared to the N140 billion budget size earmarked for it in 2026.
Speaking to journalists after an interactive session between the committee and management of the commission, Senator Titus Zam, in his capacity as the committee chairman, said the N2.9billion monthly allocation being given to NCDC will at the end of the year not be up to half of projected budgetary allocation for it.
He posited that the N2.9 billion monthly allocation from the N140 billion budgetary appropriation is a temporary package which would be improved upon.
“If you give someone that has a budget of 140 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 funds will be released. So we thank Mr. President, we thank the executive for dropping something now but look forward for more,” he said.
He added that the committee will see to judicious spending of the little allocation being collected by the commission now by guiding it on areas that should be focused on.
“North Central is mostly an agricultural land. We have arable land, we have good rainfall, we have vegetation, there’s policy for agriculture. 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 state government to complement their efforts towards mitigating the tides of insecurity within the region,” he said