The Senate Committee on the North Central Development Commission (NCDC) has approved the commission’s 2025 budget proposal of ₦140 billion, urging transparency and accountability in the use of the funds.
The approval, announced on Tuesday by the committee chairman, Senator Titus Zam, followed a budget defence session led by NCDC Managing Director, Mr. Tsenyil Yiltsen.
Zam said the endorsement came after “a careful review of the provisions in the budget and the eloquent presentation by the MD and his team.”
Presenting details of the appropriation, Yiltsen disclosed that ₦140 billion was allocated to the commission for the 2025 fiscal year, with ₦100 billion set aside for capital projects across the six states of the North Central zone and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and ₦40 billion for recurrent costs, including personnel and overheads.
He explained that the capital expenditure would be spread across multiple sectors under eight thematic areas, including security, agriculture, mining, environmental protection, education, health, and road construction. “We will carry out proper needs assessments in all the states and ensure fairness in project distribution across the zone and the FCT,” he assured.
Yiltsen also revealed that part of the ₦40 billion recurrent budget would fund salaries for 200 new staff, subject to clearance by the Office of the Head of Service.
While commending the commission’s plans, the committee urged the NCDC to demonstrate prudence in deploying the ₦100 billion capital allocation. It also called on state governments in the region and the FCT administration to provide office accommodation for the commission’s branches.
