NDDC in Search of Realistic and Implementable Budgets
The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, recently engaged critical stakeholders of the region to fashion out an implementable budget for the agency in 2024 fiscal year, Okon Bassey reports
Inspired by the desire to entrench collaboration, cooperation, partnership and synergy in the development of the Niger Delta Region by all key stakeholders and States in the Region, the Executive Management of the NDDC convoked a twoday Partners for Sustainable Development (PSD) Budget Conference on the proposed NDDC 2024 Budget christened “Budget of Reconstruction".
Before now several knocks had trail the activities of the NDDC over failure to always provide adequate budgetary provisions for the developmental needs of the nine states of the Nìger Delta region.
Worried by the spate of criticism that had been following the commission's activities, the current management of the NDDC recently summoned critical stakeholders of the region to a meeting in search of a workable budget to meet programmes of the commission.
The two days gathering which took place on August 21st and 22nd, 2023 at Ibom Icon and Golf Resort, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State had as its theme "Partners for Sustainable Development, Forum-NDDC 2024 Budget Conference”; while attendance were drawn across the representatives from the nine States of the Niger Delta Region, International Oil & Gas Companies, Ministry of Niger Delta Development, Traditional Rulers of Oil Mineral Producing Communities (TROMPCON), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Youth Group among others.
The Executive Director, Finance & Administration (EDFA) of the NDDC, Major-General Charles Airhiavbere (Rtd.), gave an ìnside why the forum was held saying the 2024 Budget of the Commission was geared towards stakeholder participation and restructuring of the Commission’s entire budgeting process in order to achieve realistic and implementable budget, as well as the achievement of strategic goals and objectives through the instrumentality of Public Private Partnerships (PPP).
"We have gathered here today to give an account of the process the Niger Delta Development Commission has undertaken in the preparation of the NDDC 2024 Proposed Budget.
"The Budget Cycle of NDDC started in April 2023 with the inauguration of the Management Budget Committee and eventual issuance of the NDDC 2024 Budget Guidelines by the Managing Director/CEO.The 2024 Budget of the Niger Delta Development Commission is christened the “BUDGET OF RECONSTRUCTION”.
"The Philosophy behind this is that it is the first time since 2018 that the full Budgeting Cycle of the Commission is strictly followed by the system and also full commitment of the Executive Management to do what is right. This represents a fresh start for the Commission and attempt to return it to its original mandate.
"The Strategy to achieve the “Budget of Reconstruction” is multi-pronged approach, which are:Stakeholders participatory budgeting: This is the involvement of all the stakeholders (internal and external) of NDDC in the Budgeting process of the Commission.
"The stakeholders will be firmly determined
by a thorough Stakeholder mapping process. Restructuring of the entire NDDC Budgeting Process: The entire budgeting process of the Commission is being restructured in other to achieve a realistic and implementable Budget.
"The approved Budget Cycle will be adhered to as much as possible so that the NDDC 2024 Budget will get to the National Assembly via the Presidency by 30th September 2023.
"We have set out our strategic goals and objectives for 2024 which are centered on the drive to implementation of Legacy Projects and Programmes through the instrumentality of Private-Public-Partnership (PPP) as well as setting outside 20% of each state revenue for payment of legacy debts and 10% for counterpart funding.
"This NDDC Budget is a product of participatory Budgeting process, which was done by the State Project Committees in conjunction with their respective stakeholders. The Stakeholders will also be key in the quarterly Performance Implementation process of the Commission.
"We have gathered here today as critical stakeholders to review, harmonize and adopt the Budget for onward transmission. It is our expectation that by the end of this exercise, duplications of projects will be completely eradicated while having Regional projects ownership.
"This exercise we are holding today is in fulfilment of this present Executive Management promise to the Niger Delta people that NDDC Budget will be participatory and transparent. The documents that the various States Stakeholders will be working with are products of NDDC State Project Committees with some stakeholders in the various States.
For the Managing Dìrectort/Chief Executive Officer of NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, the gathering came 16 years after presidential directive for the commission to renew its commitment as a region and as a people.
"Today, under a new leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose famed work in rebuilding Lagos state as governor emboldens all of us to believe, once again, that there is hope for Nigeria and the Nìger Delta region, in particular, we are laying a fresh foundation for the kind of partnership needed to facilitate regional sustainable development.", he noted.
Dr. 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."
On his part, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Niger Delta Development, Dr. Shuaib Belgore urged the NDDC to evolve budgets that will meet the development needs of the states and communities in the region.
Belgore who was represented by the Director of planning and statistics, Alfred Abbah, lauded the current management of the Commission for the stakeholders forum initiative.
"I am happy to be here today to deliver the Keynote address at this forum of critical Stakeholders to prepare a draft 2024 budget for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), focused on a common quest for the development of the Niger Delta Region, and by extension, the country at large.
"This forum, themed: “Partners for Sustainable Development Forum-NDDC 2024 Budget Conference”, presents a veritable atmosphere towards achieving effective budgeting system for the NDDC, in line with the ‘’Renewed Hope’’ project of the Federal Government.
Commending the current management of the Commission for this initiative, he noted that this has not happened in a long while, and 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.
"I will encourage the Commission to continue to evolve and adopt a budgetary process that is in tandem with the stipulated provisions of the relevant Establishment Act. The 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. 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.", he stated.
A communique issued at the end of the conference tasked the authority of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to strike a balance between meeting the political demands and serving the people of the region by executing people centric projects.
Participants noted the strategic importance of the PSD forum in the Budgetary Process which aimed at eliminating duplications and institutional suspicions in the development process; reducing the incidence of working at cross purposes as well as reduce wastage of scarce resources allocated for regional development initiatives by all stakeholders.
Noting that the PSD Forum, was last held in 2016, stakeholders unanimously agreed that the forum be held quarterly for the various stages of budgeting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
In the communique, the NDDC was urged to operate a lean budget that will allow commencement and completion of projects within a certain and realistic budget cycle. Also, it was resolved that the budget of the Commission should have a spread to cover the several ethnic nationalities and communities in the region.
"For the 2025 Budget, less of new projects should be captured in order to ensure the quick completion of all ongoing projects under the 2024 budget.
"The timeline for payment of contractors should not exceed 45 days, allowing for 15 days buffer after which penalties will accrue for non-payment of contractors.
"That a town hall meeting and engagement of the several ethnic nationalities of the region be convoked prior to budget sessions. This is to ensure that the budget receives inputs from the people directly.
"That due to flood predictions and impact on the region, there is need for provisions for flood control measures in the 2024 Budget under regional provision, as well as provision of IDP camps in the LGAs of the region for flood impact reduction.
"To ensure equity amongst all the LGAs regarding the 2024 budget, the Commission should identify deserving ongoing projects with significant completion status and where the funds committed to such projects are insufficient, funds may be drawn from the legacy debt to argument.", the communique stated.