By Gift Chapi Odekina
The House of Representatives on Wednesday approved N346.388 bn budget for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in 2019 financial year ending on May 31, 2020.
The Sum of N22.338 bn is for Personnel Expenditure, the Sum of N13.466bn only, is for overhead Expenditure while the sum of N4.083 bn is for Internal Capital Expenditure.
Also, the sum of N306.500 bn is for Development Projects for the Service of the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC).
The House approved the budget after the consideration of a report by House Committee of Supply chaired the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila at the plenary.
Earlier, while presenting the report, Chairman of House Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Rep. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo urged the House to consider the Report of the Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission on the issue from the Statutory Revenue Fund of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the Total Sum of N346,388,900,000.00 (Three Hundred and Forty-Six Billion, Three Hundred and Eighty-Eight Million, Nine Hundred Thousand Naira)
“The Sum of N22,338,190,000 (Twenty-Two Billion, Three Hundred and Thirty-Eight Million, One Hundred and Ninety Thousand Naira) only, is for Personnel Expenditure, while the Sum of N13,466,810,000 (Thirteen Billion, Four Hundred and Sixty-Six Million, Eight Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira) only, is for Overhead Expenditure, while the sum of N4,083, 000,000 (Four Billion, and Eighty-Three Million Naira) only, is for Internal Capital Expenditure .
“The sum of N306,500,900,000 (Three Hundred and Six Billion, Five Hundred Million, Nine Hundred Thousand Naira) only is for Development Projects for the Service of the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) for the Financial Year Ending on 31 May, 2020 and approve the recommendations therein” (Laid:26/2//2020) (Committee of Supply).
“Issue from the Statutory Revenue Fund of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the Total Sum of N346,388,900,000.00 (Three Hundred and Forty-Six Billion, Three Hundred and Eighty-Eight Million, Nine Hundred Thousand Naira for the Financial Year Ending on 31 May, 2020”.
After clause by clause consideration of sub-headings as read by the Speaker, the budget was unanimously approval by the House after a motion moved to the effect by the Majority Leader, Alhassan Doguwa.
Addressing news men shortly after the approval of the budget, the Chairman of the House Committee on NDDC, Rep. Tunji-Ojo said that with the approval of the budget by the Parliament, things would start taking shape in the Niger Delta region
The law maker assured that the Committee under his watch through oversight would give the Commission close mark in ensuring judicious disbursement and utilization of the funds.
According to him, “NDDC, has witnessed many setbacks, the region is suffering despite billions of naira budgeted for its development, now that the Commission has a budget to work with, the narration is going to change for good, it is no longer going to be business as usual” .
