The Senate Committee on the North West Development Commission (NWDC) has expressed satisfaction with the commission’s performance, financial accountability and governance structure following an oversight engagement with its management, pledging continued legislative oversight to ensure the people of the North-West derive maximum benefits from the intervention agency.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on the NWDC, Senator Babangida Hussaini, disclosed this while briefing journalists after the committee’s meeting with the commission’s management.
According to the senator, the oversight session was convened to assess the commission’s activities since the commencement of its operations and evaluate its compliance with financial regulations, procurement procedures and governance standards.
“The intention of the meeting was to receive a briefing from the commission on the milestones they have covered, especially since they have started some limited operations,” Hussaini said.
He explained that the committee carefully reviewed the commission’s financial records, utilisation of funds released by the Federal Government, procurement processes, governance framework and administrative procedures as part of its constitutional oversight responsibilities.
“Our responsibility is to ensure that public funds are properly utilised. We are following the money to ensure that the resources released to the commission are judiciously applied. We also examined their procurement processes, governance structure and the procedures leading to procurement,” he stated.
The committee chairman noted that members were satisfied with the explanations provided by the commission’s management regarding its operations and ongoing projects.
“So far, we have received satisfactory answers regarding the progress they are making, and we will continue to follow up with the commission to ensure that the North-West region derives greater benefits from its activities,” he added.
Committee Resolves Leadership Disagreement
Responding to questions about reports of a misunderstanding between the Managing Director of the commission and the Chairman of its Governing Board, Senator Hussaini confirmed that the Senate Committee had intervened to resolve the issue.
He described the disagreement as a normal occurrence in institutional relationships and expressed confidence that the matter had been amicably settled.
“Yes, we have intervened. It is always normal in any relationship to have slight hitches. These are routine matters that happen from time to time, and we have used the opportunity of this meeting to sort out and settle the differences,” he said.
Clarification on Official Travel
The committee also addressed concerns surrounding the Managing Director’s air travel expenses for an official visit to the Governor of Kano State.
Senator Hussaini explained that the commission had been operating temporarily from Abuja because its permanent headquarters in Kano had not yet become operational.
He disclosed that the commission only recently took possession of its permanent office in Kano after the completion and handover of the facility.
“The explanation was that they were still based in Abuja because they had not relocated to Kano. They only took over their office in Kano a few days ago after the facility was completed and handed over. Therefore, the official trip from Abuja was necessary under the circumstances,” he explained.
Commitment to Accountability
The Senate Committee reaffirmed its commitment to sustained oversight of the North West Development Commission, stressing that transparency, accountability and prudent management of public resources remain critical to the commission’s success.
Senator Hussaini said the committee would continue to monitor the commission’s activities to ensure it fulfils its mandate of accelerating infrastructure development, economic growth and social development across the seven states of the North-West region.
He added that effective legislative oversight would help guarantee that government interventions translate into tangible benefits for communities across the region while promoting transparency and value for public funds.
