By James Isaac, Abuja
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on the North Central Development Commission (NCDC), Senator Titus Tartenger Zam, has expressed concern over the inadequate funding of the commission, warning that the current allocation is insufficient to drive meaningful development across the North Central region.
Speaking after an interactive session with the management of the commission on Tuesday, Senator Zam disclosed that while the NCDC proposed an annual budget of ₦140 billion, it currently receives only ₦2.9 billion monthly as operating funds from the Federal Government.
Describing the allocation as “a drop in the ocean,” the lawmaker said the commission’s financial resources fall far short of what is required to fulfil its statutory mandate and meet the developmental needs of the region.
He noted that, given the limited take-off funds approved by the Federal Government, the commission must prioritize projects capable of delivering the greatest impact while ensuring prudent management of available resources through effective legislative oversight.
According to Senator Zam, sectors where the North Central zone enjoys comparative advantages—including agriculture, mining and rural development—will receive priority attention. He added that part of the available resources would also be devoted to tackling insecurity, which continues to hamper economic and social development across the region.
The Senate Committee also directed the commission to develop a comprehensive development blueprint that would clearly outline its vision, strategic priorities and implementation roadmap for the North Central geopolitical zone.
Earlier, the Managing Director of the North Central Development Commission informed the committee that the commission had undertaken advocacy visits to all the state governments in the North Central zone to secure their partnership and support for its programmes.
He said the visits had produced encouraging results, with the affected state governments pledging to provide office accommodation that would serve as zonal offices. He added that the proposed headquarters of the commission would be located in Lafia, where the Nasarawa State Government has also committed to providing office accommodation.
The Managing Director explained that although the commission only commenced operations about eight months ago, it has continued to expand its activities through collaboration with relevant government agencies and development partners.
He further disclosed that the commission had carried out limited recruitment of essential personnel within its available resources to support its operations and had secured board approval to organize a North Central Development Summit aimed at attracting stakeholders to the region’s development agenda.
According to him, plans are also at an advanced stage to establish an investment framework that will strengthen the commission’s financial base and promote sustainable development across the North Central zone.
Stakeholders at the session expressed optimism that with improved funding, strategic planning and stronger collaboration with state governments, the North Central Development Commission would play a pivotal role in addressing infrastructure deficits, improving security and unlocking the region’s economic potential.
