Senate passes N453.2bn NDDC budget

By Naomi Sharang

The Senate has passed the N453.2 billion budget for Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

This followed the adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta during plenary on Monday.

Presenting the report, Sen. Bulus Amos, Vice Chairman of the committee said personnel expenditure for the commission was N27.39 billion, overhead expenditure; N13.9 billion, internal capital expenditure; N2.8 billion while N409.08 billion was for development projects.

While noting that the lifespan of the 2020 NDDC budget would elapse on March 31, 2021, he said that the revenue sources for the budget included revenue brought forward at N120 billion and a Federal Government contribution; N63.5 billion.

“Ecological Funds N60 billion and other internally realized income; N200 million, oil companies contributions and Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd., (NLNG) and others; N317.5 billion,” he said.

In his remarks, President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan called on the committee to ensure that the funds were properly utilized.

“The committee has done a good job on the budget and it should continue with that,” Lawan said.

He said that the legislature had been engaging with the Executive to fast-track nominations for the Governing Board of the commission.

“We will continue to put in a lot of effort to ensure that within the shortest time we get the nomination so that the NDDC Act will be fully complied with.

“The nominations will go a long way in waking up everyone who thinks that sole administrator should be there for a long time.

“The 2021 NDDC budget should be presented to us as quickly as possible because we want to streamline the implementation of all the budgets whether they are for the MDAs or agencies like the NDDC, with the main budget of the country,” he said.

NAN