Senate Committee Urges North Central Development Commission to Accelerate Regional Projects

The Senate Committee on the North Central Development Commission (NCDC) has directed the commission’s leadership to accelerate the execution of key developmental projects across the region by ensuring the swift utilization of its monthly federal allocations. Despite acknowledging constraints tied to funding shortages, the committee emphasized that the commission must deliver visible progress to justify its mandate.

The directive was issued by the Chairman of the Senate Committee, Senator Titus Zam, following a closed-door oversight meeting with the NCDC management in Abuja. Addressing the press after the session, Senator Zam revealed that the NCDC currently receives a monthly allocation of ₦2.9 billion from the Federal Government. While he acknowledged that this funding is a positive starting point for the newly established commission, he noted it remains significantly below the commission’s projected budget of ₦140 billion.

“Every month, they are given ₦2.9 billion. And that’s just a drop in the ocean,” Zam stated. “If you give someone who has a budget of ₦140 billion [this amount], even multiplied by 12 months, that is still not up to half of its budget. But we thank the President for providing takeoff funding, and we expect releases to increase as the commission fully stabilizes.”

To maximize the impact of these limited funds, the committee outlined specific areas where the NCDC should concentrate its immediate resources. Given the unique demographic and economic landscape of the North Central region, the Senate panel recommended focusing heavily on agriculture by utilizing the region’s abundant arable land and favorable rainfall to boost food security.

Additionally, the committee urged the commission to support the solid minerals sector, which is highly active across the North Central states, and to partner with security forces and state governments to mitigate local security challenges. Given the largely rural nature of the region, infrastructural development such as building rural roads, culverts, and bridges was also highlighted as a critical priority to connect remote communities to economic hubs.

To ensure compliance and assess the implementation of these initiatives, the Senate Committee announced plans to embark on immediate oversight visits. The delegation will first visit the NCDC headquarters in Lafia, Nasarawa State, before conducting field inspections of ongoing and proposed projects across the six states making up the North Central zone. The committee reiterated its commitment to working closely with the commission’s management to ensure transparency, accountability, and the timely delivery of dividends of governance to the rural populace.