The House of Representatives Committee on NDDC yesterday, commenced consideration of the N1.91tn 2024 budget of the Niger Delta Development Commission.
This follows the senate’s approval of 44 million naira to be added to the initial N1,911,800,000,000 proposed by the Niger Delta development agency, realising a total of N1,911,844,833,046 after the senate said it took into consideration, overhead expenditures, personal costs and internal capital estimates.
Xclusiveloaded News reports that the senate took into account the N44.8 million, which was the only separation between the commission’s revenue projections and the amount that was approved by the national assembly, adding that the Appropriation ACT of 2024 was a tool that guided the Senate’s decision.
Presenting the 2024 fiscal year budget before the House of Reps Committee yesterday in Abuja, Managing Director (MD) of the NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku said the Commission has moved from being transactional to transformational.
According to the MD, the commission plans to source the money for the budget through borrowing of N1trn from commercial and development banks, adding that the sum of N170 billion was expected to come from arrears owed it by federal government and recoveries.
The NDDC boss said the commission hopes to source the other part of the budget from a federal governments’ statutory contribution of N324.8bn, an ecological fund of N25bn, oil companies’ contribution of N375bn and an Internally Generated Revenue of N1bn.
He added that in the Niger Delta region, a new dawn of progress and development was emerging under the present administration, stressing that the Commission was redefining the standards of governance and effectiveness in driving positive change in the region.
While noting that the hallmark of this present administration’s tenure lied in its uncommon approach towards development and collaboration, Ogbuku disclosed that the commission will adopt the public-private partnership model to drive the development of the oil-rich region, adding that it has developed a partnership with the Industrial Training Fund to gainfully engage the youths of the region to address instances of economic sabotage.
The NDDC boss who also emphasised the need for the development of critical infrastructure, said the commission plans to fund its legacy projects with the N1 trillion to be borrowed from the banks, while about N835. 222 billion will be spent on other development projects.
He further highlighted the achievements of the board in the past year, noting that, “the Operation Light Up Niger Delta,” has succeeded in electrifying many communities with the aid of solar-powered streetlights which he said has boosted the economic activities of the communities.
According to Ogboku, the NDDC has also commissioned over five flagship projects within 10 days including 9km Obehie-Oke-lkpe road in Ukwa West LGA, Abia State, reconstruction of the remaining 14km road between Oke-lkpe and Akwete-Ohambele Road Phase 2 which is ongoing and the commissioning of the 27.5-kilometre Ogbia -Nembe road, among others.
The NDDC boss stated that through its free medical mission, the commission has provided health services to more than two million persons in the region, stressing that it would partner with stakeholders to invest meaningfully in the healthcare sector for the development of the Niger Delta.
Ogboku said, “we awarded foreign scholarships to 750 individuals between 2023-2024 (and provided educational grants to 84 individuals, and we are in the process of distributing 45,000 U-lesson tablets preloaded with Nigerian and WAEC syllabus to schools in the nine States that make up the Niger Delta region.
“We are redefining the standards of governance and effectiveness in driving positive change in the region as we commissioned over five flagship projects within 10 days.”
Other projects embarked upon by the current leadership of the NDDC according to Ogboku include clearing of waterways to pave way for easy flow of water during heavy downpour and the construction of multipurpose emergency shelters with a capacity to accommodate 1000 persons.
In a remark, Chairman of the House Committee on Niger Delta, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu said the budget was crucial to the success of the commission, noting that the House will do a thorough job to scrutinise the budget estimates in the interest of openness and accountability.
