BY CHIJIOKE CHARLES
ABUJA – The Senate on Tuesday questioned the payment of about N943 million in board allowances by the North West Development Commission (NWDC), while also expressing concern over the prolonged delay in appointing executive directors, warning that the leadership vacuum is undermining the commission’s ability to effectively deliver on its mandate.
The concerns were raised during an investigative session of the Senate Committee on Regional Development with officials of the NWDC and the Federal Ministry of Regional Development at the National Assembly.
Afrilensnews gathered that lawmakers described the commission as the only regional development commission yet to have executive directors despite being among the earliest created by an Act of the National Assembly, insisting that the situation has slowed administrative and developmental activities across the North-West.
Minister of State for Regional Development, Alhaji Uba Maigari Ahmadu, attributed part of the commission’s operational challenges to a prolonged disagreement over its headquarters and office accommodation in Kano.
According to him, the commission initially operated from office spaces donated by private organisations, but disagreements over which facility should serve as its permanent headquarters created friction between the governing board and management.
He disclosed that the Kano State Government has now provided a fully furnished office complex, operational vehicles and a parcel of land for the commission.
The minister said the ministry, board and management officially took over the facility last week and directed that all other offices be shut to end the controversy.
“The North West Development Commission is the only commission that does not yet have executive directors. Every other regional commission has its full management structure in place. Something urgent must be done for the commission to function effectively,” Ahmadu said.
He added that the absence of executive directors had weakened the commission’s management structure and contributed to its operational difficulties since its inauguration.
The minister further explained that although the board was inaugurated in February 2025 to fast-track the commission’s take-off, it has continued to face one challenge after another.
Ahmadu also noted that unlike the situation in Kano, state governments in Enugu, Oyo and Nasarawa provided office accommodation for their respective regional development commissions without similar disputes.
Lawmakers, however, shifted attention to the commission’s financial records, questioning delays in convening board meetings, expenditure patterns and the huge amount spent on board-related allowances.
One senator queried how the board could claim it lacked adequate funding while embarking on official visits to governors and other stakeholders.
Another lawmaker questioned the payment of duty tour allowance to the Managing Director for a visit to the Governor of Kano State despite the commission’s headquarters being located in Kano.
The committee expressed particular concern over financial documents indicating that N943 million out of N1.19 billion spent by the commission went to allowances for governing board members, representing nearly 79 per cent of the expenditure under that budget heading.
Lawmakers described the spending as disturbing and inconsistent with the commission’s primary responsibility of accelerating development in the North-West, particularly in tackling insecurity and infrastructure deficits.
Responding to the concerns, Chairman of the Governing Board, Abdullahi Lawal, defended the expenditure, insisting that every payment complied with the provisions of the North West Development Commission Act, 2024.
He explained that the board had held seven meetings—five regular and two emergency sessions—during which it adopted 63 resolutions to establish the commission’s institutional and policy framework.
According to him, the board approved standing orders, operational guidelines, committee structures, budget frameworks and principles for allocating funds across the seven North-West states.
Lawal maintained that committee activities and sitting allowances were legitimate governance expenses permitted under the commission’s enabling law.
He, however, distinguished between approving expenditure and releasing funds, arguing that responsibility for processing payments rested with the commission’s management, particularly the Managing Director and finance officials.
The board chairman also accused the management of failing to implement several resolutions approved by the board, citing communication gaps and delays in executing major operational decisions.
Several senators insisted that the Federal Ministry of Regional Development should be held responsible for failing to complete the commission’s management structure through the appointment of executive directors.
The lawmakers also raised concerns over delays in staff recruitment and the implementation of the commission’s capital budget despite approvals reportedly granted since February.
They stressed that the NWDC was established to confront developmental challenges, insecurity and infrastructure deficits across the North-West, warning that continued administrative disputes and governance lapses could undermine public confidence, delay critical projects and weaken the commission’s capacity to meet expectations in the region.
