Senate scrutinizes North-West commission regarding N943m in unpaid board stipends and prolonged staffing delays

The Senate Committee on Regional Development held an investigative session on Tuesday, during which they queried the North West Development Commission's operations, including the delayed appointment of executive directors, alleged governance challenges, and the expenditure of approximately N943m on board allowances.

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Lawmakers expressed concern over the fact that the NWDC remains the only regional development commission without executive directors, despite being among the first to be established under an Act of the National Assembly, with the committee chairman, Babangida Hussaini, scrutinizing the commission's financial records and governance structure.

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Alhaji Uba Ahmadu, the Minister of State for Regional Development, disclosed that the ministry had intervened in the lingering dispute over the commission's office accommodation in Kano, explaining that the NWDC initially operated from donated office spaces, but disagreements over the headquarters created friction between the governing board and management.

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The Kano State Government had provided a fully furnished office complex, operational vehicles, and a plot of land for the commission, according to Ahmadu, who stated that the ministry, board, and management jointly took over the facility and directed that all other offices be shut to bring the dispute to an end.

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Ahmadu noted that the North West Development Commission is the only commission without executive directors, stating that every other regional commission has its full management structure in place, and emphasizing that something needs to be done urgently so that the commission can function effectively.

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The minister attributed the commission's operational challenges to the absence of executive directors, which has weakened the management structure since its inauguration, despite the governing board being inaugurated in February 2025 to fast-track the take-off of the commission.

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Ahmadu compared the situation to other regional commissions, noting that the governments of Enugu, Oyo, and Nasarawa states had provided office accommodation for their respective commissions without controversy, and expressed optimism that the Kano State Government's intervention would resolve the headquarters dispute.

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Senators raised concerns over delays in convening board meetings, financial management, and excessive spending on board-related allowances, with some lawmakers questioning how the board could claim a lack of funding while embarking on official visits to governors and stakeholders.

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Hussaini faulted the payment of duty tour allowance to the Managing Director for a visit to the Kano State governor, despite the commission's headquarters being located in Kano, and queried the inclusion of air tickets, local transportation, and logistics in the claim.

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The committee was alarmed by documents indicating that out of N1.19bn spent by the commission, N943m was used for allowances paid to governing board members, representing about 79 per cent of the expenditure, which lawmakers described as disturbing and inconsistent with the commission's objective.

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Prof Abdullahi Ma’aji, the Chairman of the Governing Board, defended the board's activities, insisting they were in line with the North West Development Commission Act, 2024, and stated that the board had held seven meetings, adopting 63 resolutions aimed at establishing the commission's framework.

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Ma’aji maintained that committee activities and sitting allowances constituted legitimate governance expenses under the enabling Act, but distinguished between approving expenditures and disbursing funds, saying that while the board authorized governance expenses, the responsibility for processing payments rested with the commission's management.

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The board chairman complained about the non-implementation of board resolutions, communication gaps, and delays in executing key operational decisions, which had hampered the smooth take-off of the commission, with senators insisting that the ministry must take responsibility for the failure to complete the commission's management structure.

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Lawmakers argued that the prolonged vacancies had undermined the NWDC's effectiveness at a time when the North-West urgently requires coordinated development interventions to tackle insecurity and socio-economic challenges, and also expressed concern over delays in staff recruitment and implementation of the commission's capital budget.

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The committee resolved to proceed into a closed-door executive session to consider sensitive issues and obtain further clarifications from officials, as part of the Senate's ongoing oversight of the newly established regional development commissions.