FG commits N1.57trn to development commissions
By Tunde Opalana
The Federal Government has committed a total sum of N1,573,138,248,477 to development commissions across geopolitical zones of the country.
The funds earmarked under Statutory Transfers schedule in the 2025 budget are meant for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and six other development commissions which establishments have been signed into law by President Bola Tinubu upon their passage by the National Assembly.
The NDDC has the lion share of the funds with a total estimate of N626,533,344,370, while the North- East Development Commission got N240,997,972,557 and North- West Development Commission got N145,606,921,550.
Four development commissions; South- South Development Commission, South- West Development Commission, South- East and North – Central Development Commission each got a flat sum of N140,000,000,000.
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But these estimates are slightly different from figure approved by the Federal Executive Council early January.
A source inside the Budget Office if the Federation hinted that signing into law of new development commissions not captured in the FEC estimated approval of N2,483,138,248,477was responsible for the slight adjustments.
The Federal Executive Council had approved N776,533,444,370 for the Niger Delta Development Commission, N588,942,761,118 for the North West Development Commission, N498,402,761,042 for South West Development Commission, N341,271,399,390 for the South East Development Commission and N290,997,972,557 for the North East Development Commission .
These allocation to development commissions is a clear indication that the Tinubu administration is ready to drive the theme of the 2025 budget tagged: ‘Budget of Restoration, Securing Peace and Building Prosperity’ through infrastructural development from the regions.
This was widely responsible for the establishment of the Ministry of Regional Development in October 2024 to oversee all regional development commissions.
The move resulted in the scrapping of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, which was created by then-President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua on September 10, 2008.
However, monies earmarked for the these development commissions got more than 30 percent of the total N3,645,851,358,925 estimates for Statutory Transfers in the 2025 budget.
Under the transfers, the National Judicial Council got N521,625,739,236, Universal Basic Education Commission got N496,842,245,271, the National Assembly got N344,852,880,669, Basic Health Care Provision Fund got N298,421,122,636, National Agency For Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) got 248,421,122,636.
The Independent National Electoral commission (INEC) got N140,000,000,000, Public Complaint Commission got N14,460,000,000 and the National Human Rights Commission got N8,000,000,000.
