The Niger Delta Development Commission has promised that the early approval of its 2024 budget will help to fast-track the development of the Niger Delta region.

The NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, said this while presenting its 2024 budget estimates of N1.9tn to the House of Representatives Committee on the NDDC in Abuja, a statement by the NDDC Director of Corporate Affairs, Seledi-Wakama, said on Thursday.

He stated that significant progress had been made in the region and efforts were underway to complete all ongoing projects.

He explained that in preparing the 2024 budget, titled ‘Budget of Renewed Hope’, there was a plan to sustain a robust foundation for sustainable economic development and a greener future for the region.The NDDC boss stated that the proposed budget would be funded through Federal Government contributions, oil companies’ contributions, ecological funds, arrears owed to the NDDC by the Federal Government and recoveries by Federal Government agencies, revenue brought forward, borrowings and internally realised incomes.

Ogbuku said, “Investing in critical infrastructure is a key component of our fiscal strategy under the 2024 budget proposals. The present management has reviewed its process of intervention by adopting the public-private partnership model as a vehicle to drive sustainable development in the Niger Delta Region.

“To this end, we are in partnership with the Industrial Training Fund to gainfully engage the youth to reduce crime and economic sabotage. We have strategically made provisions towards diversifying our sources of funding, as we intend to source an aggregate sum of N1tn to fund ongoing legacy projects of the commission in 2024.”He added that the NDDC would introduce new performance management frameworks to regulate overhead costs.

“Accordingly, only activities tied to measurable programmes will be approved. We have moved away from the line-item budgeting system to sectoral allocation. I once again commend the 10th National Assembly’s firm commitment to stop the unnecessary circle of delayed annual budgets. I am confident that with our renewed partnership, the deliberations on the 2024 budget shall be completed soon to pave the way for the 2025 budget as this present management is poised to normalising the NDDC budget calendar,” he disclosed.
The NDDC boss assured the lawmakers of the strong commitment of the management to deepen the relationship with the National Assembly.

“It is a matter of recorded history that we have moved from being transactional to transformational, and transformation is practical. In this regard, we thought it had to be all-encompassing, from areas of youth training, areas of supporting our entrepreneurs and areas of infrastructure and development.

“In the area of our youth training, we came up with Project HOPE to put together a proper database of the youths and artisans of the Niger Delta region. It will aid us in engaging these youths in their area of competence. In the area of infrastructure, we came up with ‘Operation Light Up Niger Delta Region’, this has seen a reasonable number of the communities being lit up using solar-powered streetlights, which have boosted the economic activities of the communities at night,” he emphasised.

According to Ogbuku, the NDDC, through its free medical mission, has provided health solutions to over two million Niger Deltans across communities in the region and remains committed to working with relevant stakeholders to improve healthcare and all other critical sectors that impact positively on the overall development of the health and wellness of the people.

“In Education, we have awarded foreign scholarships to 750 individuals between 2023 and 2024 and provided educational grants to 84 individuals. Additionally, we are distributing 45,000 Ulesson tablets preloaded with Nigerian and WAEC syllabuses to schools in the nine states in the Niger Delta region,” the NDDC boss Ogbuku told the federal lawmakers that a new dawn of progress and development is emerging under the present management of the NDDC as standards and effectiveness are being redefined in driving positive change in the region.

The NDDC house committee chairman, Erhiateke Ibori-Seun, commended the management team of the commission for the comprehensive documentation and promised accelerated legislative action on the proposed budget.

Ibori-Seun, who represents Ethiope-West Federal Constituency in the Green Chamber, said the National Assembly was committed to transparency and improved well-being of the people of the Niger Delta..

Post Category: News





   

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