For Greener Future, NDDC Proposes N1.9 Trillion For 2024 Budget
Edith CHUKU
The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, has revealed that the Commission’s primary objective while preparing the 2024 Budget, was to sustain their robust foundation for sustainable economic development.
Ogbuku also noted that the proposed Budget seeks to move the Commission from transaction to transformation and that it was a product of participatory budgeting process that involved all the major stakeholders in the Niger Delta Region.
The NDDC MD stated this in a release made available to TNN by the Director, Corporate Affairs, Pius Ughakpoteni, which revealed that the NDDC presented its budget proposals of N1.911 Trillion for 2024 to the Senate Committee on the NDDC at the National Assembly.
Presenting the proposals to the Senate Committee, chaired by Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong, Ogbuku explained that the 2024 appropriation was anchored on the theme: “Budget of Renewed Hope” in line with the Federal Government’s Budget.
According to him, “a critical focus of this budget is this present management’s commitment to a greener future. An aggregate expenditure of ₦1.911 Trillion is proposed for the Niger Delta Development Commission in 2024.
“The revenue estimates include opening balance of ₦12 billion. Unpaid arrears and recoveries from Federal Government Agencies of ₦170billion. ₦1 trillion is expected to be sourced from development/commercial banks, Federal Government statutory transfers of ₦324 billion. Expected ₦25 billion from Ecological fund. Expected Revenue of ₦375 billion from the Oil & Gas Companies, ₦5 billion is expected from other sources (grants, bank interests and sales of boarded items).”
Ogbuku explained that “investing in critical infrastructure is a key component of our fiscal strategy under the 2024 Budget Proposals. The present Management has noted that the Commission alone would not be able to effectively address the development challenges in the Niger Delta region and are re-navigating its process of intervention by adopting Public-Private-Partnership model as a vehicle to drive a sustainable development in the Niger Delta Region.
“Emphasizing public-private partnerships, we have strategically made provisions to leverage private capital for big-ticket infrastructure projects in regional roads to enhance transportation and other sectors. This marks a critical step towards diversifying our source of funding as we intend to source an aggregate sum of ₦1trillion to fund on-going legacy projects of the Commission in 2024. The sum is to be out-sourced from the development/commercial banks etc.
“The main emphasis will be the completion of as many ongoing legacy projects that have advanced greatly. It is our expectation that by the end of the 2024 fiscal year we would have completed more than 200km of roads across the Niger Delta region.”
Commending the 10th National Assembly over what he described as Assembly’s firm commitment to stop the circle of delayed annual budgets, the NDDC MD expressed confident that “with our renewed partnership, the deliberations on the 2024 Budget shall be completed soon to pave way for 2025 budget as this present Management is poised to normalize NDDC budget calendar.”
Ogbuku who also reviewed the activities of the NDDC in the 2023 budget year, said that the Commission had initiated many programmes such as the Holistic Opportunities for Programme and Engagement, Project HOPE.
“We came up with Project HOPE to properly train and empower the Youths and Artisans of the Niger Delta Region and maintain a database that would afford equal opportunity to all Niger Deltans.
“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 street lights, which have boosted the economic activities of communities at night.
“In the area of healthcare, ogbuku said that “NDDC through the 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 health and all other critical sectors that impact positively on the overall development of the health and wellness of the people of the Region.
“In Education, we have awarded foreign scholarships to 750 individuals between 2023-2024 (for 2022, 2023 & 2024 years) and provided educational grants to 84 individuals. Additionally, we are distributing 45,000 Ulesson tablets preloaded with Nigerian and WAEC syllabus to schools in the 9 States in the Niger Delta region.”
He stated that the hallmark of the present Management’s tenure lay in its approach to development and collaboration which had seen the commissioning of five flagship projects within 10 days.
He listed the projects as the 9km Obehie-Oke-Ikpe road in Ukwa West LGA, Abia State; the 27.5 kilometre Ogbia -Nembe Road, constructed in partnership with Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC; the 1×15MVA 33/11KV electricity injection substation in Amufi, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area in Benin City, Edo State; the 45km double-circuit 33KV feeder line from Omotosho Power Station to Okitipupa, Ondo State and the NDDC 6km Iko-Atabrikang-Akata-Opulom-Ikot Inwang-Okoroutip-Iwochang road and 600m Ibeno Bridge in Ibeno LGA, Akwa Ibom State.
