REVEALED: Why NDDC suffers poor budgets implementation – FG

Federal Government on Monday blamed poor implementation of successive budgets of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) on late submission and delayed approvals of proposals presented for such budgets.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of the Niger Delta Affairs, Dr Shuaib Belgore, made the observation is Uyo, Akwa Ibom state where NDDC is engaging critical stakeholders on a two day conference at fashioning out an implementable 2024 NDDC budget of shared imputes, interests and benefits.

Represented by Alfred Abba, the ministry’s Director, Planning and Statistics, Belgore in a keynote address, said, “Undoubtedly, NDDC budgets over the years have been faced with challenges, including belated submission, delayed approvals amongst others.

“These challenges have led to low/poor implementation of which this conference intends to address

I encourage the Commission to continue to evolve and adopt a budgetary process that is in tandem with stipulated provisions of the Establishment Act.

“Sections 18 and 19 of the NDDC Act require the Commission’s Board to submit a budget proposal of a succeeding year, no later than 30th September of the current year, thus the 2024 Budget of the Commission ought to be submitted by 30th September, 2023.

He assured on the ministry’s commitment to availing NDDC necessary assistance to ensure speedy approvals of coming budgets, charging the commission to deepen stakeholders engagement, be innovative and transparent towards right-budgeting.

“The way forward is to embrace robust and innovative pathways anchored on transparency and stakeholder participation towards right-budgeting, thus maximizing available resources to address most critical needs of the people”, he emphasised.

Managing Director of the NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku said, “This conference is to help revive the platform of partners for sustainable development forum created as part of the regional master plan implementation guideline, to bring all service providers and project implementers to same table to fashion common pathway based on shared vision for development of the Niger Delta.

“Also, it affords all of us the incentive and opportunity to pool resources together, initiate projects and programmes within the obligatory goal of building a better region and empowering our people.

“We would, arising from the conference, galvanize our energies for common purpose, eliminate duplications and institutional suspicions in the development process, reduce incidence of working at cross purposes as well as reduce wastage of scarce resources allocated for regional developmental initiatives by all stakeholders”

The conference on the theme, “Partners for Sustainable Development Forum-NDDC 2024”, has in attendance representatives of governments the 6 NDDC mandate states, international oil companies, traditional rulers, youths and civil society organizations among others.