The Senate questioned the NWDC over the N943 million board allowance, governance gaps and delays in appointments

The Regional Development Senate Committee on Tuesday undertook intense scrutiny of the North West Development Commission (NWDC) over its governance structure, financial management and operational performance, raising concerns over the absence of the executive director and payment of board allowances of about N943 million.

During an oversight session attended by officials of the commission and the Federal Ministry of Regional Development, lawmakers questioned why the NWDC is still the only regional development commission that has not appointed an executive director despite being one of the earliest commissions established under an Act of the National Assembly.

Chairing the session, Chairman of the committee, Senator Babangida Hussaini, expressed concern that administrative shortcomings undermine the commission’s ability to implement critical development projects in the North West, a region that continually faces security and infrastructure challenges.

Responding to the statement by the lawmaker, the Minister of State for Regional Development, Alhaji Uba Ahmadu, said the ministry had stepped in to resolve the long-standing dispute over the commission’s office accommodation in Kano.

He explained that although the commission initially operated from office space donated by a private organization, disagreements over which location should serve as its official headquarters resulted in tension between the board and management.

According to the minister, the Kano State Government has now provided a fully furnished office complex, operational vehicles and land for the permanent use of the commission.

Ahmadu revealed that representatives of the ministry, the board and management of the commission jointly took over the facility last week and ordered the closure of all other offices to end the dispute.

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“The North West Development Commission is the only commission that does not yet have an executive director. Every other regional commission has a full management structure. Something must be done urgently for the commission to function effectively,” the minister told the committee.

He attributed much of the commission’s operational difficulties to the executive director’s prolonged absence, and he noted that although a governing board was installed in February 2025 to speed up the agency’s takeoff, the board is still struggling with recurring administrative challenges.

The minister further stated that other regional commissions had enjoyed a smoother take-off process as state governments such as Enugu, Oyo and Nasarawa were ready to provide office accommodation without controversy, and expressed confidence that intervention by the Kano State Government would ultimately resolve the head office issue.

As the hearing progressed, lawmakers turned attention to the commission’s financial records, questioning the frequency of board meetings, spending priorities and what they described as excessive spending on government-related benefits.

Some senators also challenged the rationale behind official visits made by lawmakers, arguing that the commission cannot complain about lack of funds while spending public resources on courtesy visits to governors and other stakeholders.

Senator Hussaini specifically criticized the payment of an official travel allowance to the Managing Director for an official visit to the Governor of Kano State, even though the head office of the commission is located in the same city. He also questioned claims that included air travel, local transportation and other logistics related to the trip.

He said, “The committee is deeply concerned by documents showing that of the N1.19 billion spent by the commission, N943m was spent on allowances paid to members of the governing council, representing about 79 per cent of expenditure under the subhead.”

Lawmakers described the spending pattern as inconsistent with the commission’s core mandate to promote development in seven states in the Northwest.

Defending the council’s actions, Chairman of the Governing Council, Prof Abdullahi Ma’aji, emphasized that all activities carried out by the council were in accordance with the provisions of the North West Development Commission Act 2024.

He said, “The council has held seven meetings—five regular meetings and two emergency meetings—during which the council adopted 63 resolutions aimed at establishing the institutional framework and policies of the commission.”

Ma’aji explained that the council had approved standing orders, governance procedures, committee structure, operational guidelines, budgetary framework and principles for distributing resources among the seven North West states.

He emphasized that committee operational costs and sitting allowances are legitimate government expenses and are recognized under the laws applicable to the commission.

But the board chair distinguished between approving expenditures and authorizing payments, emphasizing that while the board approves governance-related expenditures, the responsibility for processing and disbursing funds lies with the commission management, specifically the Managing Director and the finance department.

He also lamented the delay in implementing the council’s decisions, citing poor communication and slow implementation of important operational resolutions as factors affecting the commission’s smooth take-off.

Some senators argued that responsibility for the commission’s incomplete management structure ultimately lies with the ministry that oversees it, and insisted that the prolonged delay in appointing an executive director has weakened the body at a time when the North West states desperately need coordinated interventions to address insecurity, infrastructure deficits and other socio-economic challenges.

Lawmakers further expressed dissatisfaction over delays in staff recruitment and implementation of approved capital projects, despite reports that funding approvals had been granted since February.

At the end of the public hearing, the committee decided to hold a closed executive session to discuss sensitive issues and seek additional clarification from ministry and commission officials.

The hearing is part of the Senate’s oversight of the newly established regional development commission, which was created to promote infrastructure development, economic revitalization and peace building in Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.