By Ayobamiji Komolafe,Chukwu David

Copyright newtelegraphng

The Senate on Tuesday approved the N140 billion 2025 budget for the North Central Development Commission (NCDC), urging the Commission to utilize the funds prudently once the final approval is given by the Chamber.

The Senate Committee on North Central Development Commission granted approval following a presentation of the budget proposal at the National Assembly Complex by the Managing Director of NCDC, Dr. Tsenyil Yiltsen, and his management team.

The Committee Chairman, Senator Titus Zam, said: “After a careful review of the budget and the eloquent presentation by the MD and his team, the committee has approved the N140 billion as presented by the Commission.”

In his presentation, Yiltsen stated that out of the N140 billion, N100 billion is allocated for capital expenditure across the six states in the zone and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), while the remaining N40 billion is for recurrent expenditure, covering overhead and personnel costs.

He noted that the N100 billion is not tied to specific projects but will support numerous developmental initiatives in sectors including security, agriculture, mining, environmental protection, education, health, and road construction. Yiltsen assured the Committee of equitable execution of projects across all states and the FCT, based on thorough needs assessments.

Regarding recurrent expenditure, he said most of the N40 billion would be used to pay salaries of 200 proposed staff, contingent on approval by the Office of the Head of Service.

The Committee urged the Commission to ensure judicious use of the funds, particularly the capital allocation, and encouraged state governments and the FCT to provide office accommodations for NCDC branches in their areas.