Tunji Wusu –
The Niger Delta Development Commission claimed to have started a procedure that would halt the practice of operating in opposition to the regional state governors and minimize redundancy and waste.
This was stated by Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, the managing director and chief executive officer of the NDDC, in his speech at the forum for the 2024 budget of reconstruction conference, which had the theme “Partners for Sustainable Development Forum-NDDC 2024,” and was held on Monday at the Ibom Icon Hotel in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
According to him, the goal of the stakeholders’ forum was to create a platform for the achievement of an efficient budgeting system in keeping with the Federal Government’s “Renewed Hope” project.
“This meeting is crucial. In order to bring all service providers and project implementers to the same table and create a shared pathway based on a shared vision for the development of the Niger Delta region, it first aids in the revival of the Partners for Sustainable Development Forum platform, which was established as part of the Regional Master Plan Implementation Guideline.
For another, it gives us all the impetus and chance to combine our resources, start projects, and carry out programs with the necessary objective of improving the area and empowering our people.
By doing this, Ogbuku stated, “we would, following the conference, galvanize our energies for a common purpose, eliminate duplications and institutional suspicions in the development process, reduce incidence of working against one another, as well as reduce wastage of scarce resources allocated for regional developmental initiatives by all stakeholders.
Dr. Shuaib Belgore, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, blamed the commission’s poor implementation strategy throughout the years on the late submission of budgets in his keynote speech.
Belgore asked the new administration to develop and adopt a financial approach that would be in sync with the specified requirements of the applicable Establishment Act. Belgore was represented by the head of Planning and Statistics for the ministry, Mr. Alfred Abba.
Unquestionably, NDDC budgets over the years have had difficulties, including late filing and slow approvals, among others.
This conference aims to address the low/poor implementation caused by these difficulties. I will urge the Commission to develop and implement a budgetary procedure that works in harmony with the requirements of the applicable Establishment Act.
According to Sections 18 and 19 of the NDDC Act, the Commission’s Board must submit a budget plan for the following year no later than September 30 of the current year, hence the Commission’s 2024 budget must be presented by September 30 of 2023.
While pledging that the ministry would provide the Commission with the support required to guarantee approval of its annual budgets, he urged the commission to adopt a strong and innovative path toward right-budgeting that was based on transparency and stakeholder involvement.
Representatives of the nine Niger Delta state governments, foreign oil companies, traditional leaders, youth organizations, and civil society organizations are among those participating at the two-day meeting.
