By Harris Emanuel, Uyo.
The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs has tasked the interventionist agency, Niger Delta Development Commisaion to evolve and adopt a budgetary process that is in tandem with the stipulated provisions of the relevant Establishment Act.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Shuaib Belgore gave the advice in a keynote address at the Partners for Sustainable Development Forum -NDSC 2014 Budget Conference held at Uyo.
Represented by Director Planning and Statistic, NDDC, Alfred Abba, he stated that Sections 18 and 19 of the NDDC Act, require the Commission’s Board to submit a Budget proposal of a succeeding year, no later than 30th September of the current year, thus the 2024 Budget of the Commission ought to be submitted by 30th September, 2023.
Continuing he said: “. The Commission is procedurally to submit the Budget proposal to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs who submits to the President, C-in-C after scrutiny and review. Upon submission, the President then transmits it to the National Assembly.
” The way forward is to embrace robust and innovative pathways anchored on transparency and Stakeholder participation towards right-budgeting, thus maximizing the available resources to address the most critical needs of the people.
“On our part as the supervising Ministry, charged with the responsibility of coordinating the overall developmental efforts and activities in the Niger Delta Region…
“We promise to always provide and avail the Commission all the necessary assistance needed to ensure passage of your annual budgets and consistent flow of statutory contributions from the Federal Government
protocol.”
Abba commended the current management of the Commission for a pragmatic approach to seeivce delivery , noting that such initiative has not happened in a long while.
“It is the first, since the ministry started supervising the Commission. Undoubtedly, NDDC budgets over the years have been faced with challenges, which included belated submission, delayed approvals amongst others.
“These challenges have led to low/poor implementation of which this conference intends to address.”
For his part, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku said the stakeholders forum was aimed at providing a veritable platform for achieving effective budgeting system in line with the ‘’Renewed Hope’’ project of the Federal Government.
“This conference is very vital. For one, it helps to revive the platform of the partners for sustainable development forum which was created as part of the regional master plan implementation guideline, to bring all service providers and project implementers to the same table to fashion a common pathway based on shared vision for the development of the Niger Delta region.
“For another, it affords all of us the incentive and opportunity to pool our resources together, initiate projects and programmes within the obligatory goal of building a better region and empowering our people.
“By so doing, we would, arising from the conference, galvanize our energies for a common purpose, eliminate duplications and institutional suspicions in the development process…
“Reduce incidence of working at cross purposes as well as reduce wastage of scarce resources allocated for regional developmental initiatives by all stakeholders”, Ogbuku said.
Acting National Chairman Association Traditional Rulers of Oil Mineral Producing Communities (TROMPCON), Oba(Dr) Obatemi Ogbaro I his goodwill message called for more involvement of traditional rulers in activities of the NDDC.
“The NDDC should consult royal fathers in the region in the siting, supervision and protection of projects in the region”.
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