The Senate Committee on Regional Development has launched a comprehensive inquiry into the operations of the North West Development Commission (NWDC), raising serious concerns over the expenditure of ₦943 million on board allowances and the administrative vacuum created by the absence of executive directors.
The queries were issued during an investigative hearing on Tuesday involving officials from the NWDC and the Federal Ministry of Regional Development. Lawmakers expressed deep worry that administrative friction and governance lapses are stalling the commission’s core mandate to address insecurity and infrastructure deficits in the North-West region.
Key Concerns Raised by the Senate Committee:
Disproportionate Spending: The Committee flagged financial records revealing that ₦943 million out of ₦1.19 billion spent by the commission was allocated to governing board allowances. Lawmakers described this 79% expenditure ratio as disturbing and inconsistent with the agency’s development goals.
Administrative Vacuum: The NWDC remains the only regional commission operating without executive directors, despite being among the first established by an Act of the National Assembly. Senators labeled this incomplete management structure a major impediment to effective administration.
Questionable Logistics Claims: Committee members questioned the disbursement of Duty Tour Allowances (DTA), air tickets, and local transport costs to the Managing Director for a courtesy visit to the Governor of Kano State, given that the commission’s headquarters is situated within the state.
Delayed Implementation: Lawmakers criticized the ministry’s failure to complete the agency’s management structure, as well as prolonged delays in staff recruitment and capital budget implementation, despite approvals dating back to February.
The Minister of State for Regional Development, Alhaji Uba Maigari Ahmadu, conceded that the absence of executive directors has severely weakened the NWDC’s management structure since its inauguration in February 2025. He attributed part of the initial delay to a prolonged dispute over the commission’s office location in Kano.
Alhaji Ahmadu confirmed that the Kano State Government has now resolved the impasse by providing a fully furnished office complex, operational vehicles, and land. The ministry has since taken over the property and ordered all alternative offices closed to end the controversy.
Defending the board’s expenditure, the Chairman of the Governing Board, Abdullahi Lawal, maintained that all committee activities and sitting allowances complied with the North West Development Commission Act, 2024. Lawal noted that the board has held seven meetings and passed 63 resolutions to establish necessary operational and budgetary frameworks. He further clarified that while the board approves frameworks, actual fund disbursement rests with the commission’s management and Managing Director, whom he accused of failing to implement several board resolutions due to communication gaps.
The Senate Committee emphasized that the NWDC cannot afford to be distracted by internal disputes and administrative lapses while the North-West region faces critical developmental and security challenges.
Following the public presentation of testimonies, the Committee moved into a closed-door session to review sensitive documents and deliberate on further clarifications required from both the Ministry and the Commission’s leadership.
