The Senate Committee on Regional Development on Tuesday questioned the operations of the North West Development Commission (NWDC), raising concerns over the delayed appointment of executive directors, governance challenges and the expenditure of about N943 million on board allowances.
At an investigative hearing with officials of the commission and the Federal Ministry of Regional Development, lawmakers expressed concern that the NWDC remains the only regional development commission without executive directors despite being among the first commissions established by an Act of the National Assembly.
Chairman of the committee, Senator Babangida Hussaini, scrutinised the commission’s governance structure, financial records and implementation of its mandate, warning that administrative shortcomings were hindering development efforts in the North-West, a region battling insecurity and infrastructure deficits.
Appearing before the committee, the Minister of State for Regional Development, Alhaji Uba Ahmadu, disclosed that the ministry had intervened to resolve the prolonged dispute over the commission’s office accommodation in Kano.
He explained that the commission initially operated from office spaces donated by private organisations, but disagreements over which facility should serve as its headquarters led to friction between the governing board and management.
According to the minister, the Kano State Government has now provided a fully furnished office complex, operational vehicles and a plot of land for the commission.
He said the ministry, board and management jointly took possession of the facility last week and ordered the closure of all other offices to end the dispute.
“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 has to be done urgently so that the commission can function effectively,” Ahmadu told lawmakers.
He noted that the absence of executive directors had weakened the commission’s management structure and contributed to operational difficulties since its inauguration in 2025.
During the hearing, senators also queried the commission’s spending pattern, particularly the payment of board-related allowances, despite complaints of inadequate funding.
Hussaini faulted the payment of duty tour allowance to the Managing Director for an official visit to the Kano State Governor, questioning the inclusion of air tickets, local transportation and other logistics for a trip conducted within the state where the commission’s headquarters is located.
The committee chairman revealed that documents before the panel showed that N943 million, representing about 79 per cent of the commission’s N1.19 billion expenditure, was spent on allowances for members of the governing board.
“The committee was particularly alarmed by documents indicating that out of N1.19bn spent by the commission, N943m was used for allowances paid to members of the governing board,” Hussaini said.
Lawmakers described the expenditure as excessive and inconsistent with the commission’s core mandate of driving development across the North-West.
Defending the board’s actions, Chairman of the Governing Board, Prof. Abdullahi Ma’aji, maintained that the expenditures complied with the provisions of the North West Development Commission Act, 2024.
He disclosed that the board had held seven meetings—five regular and two emergency sessions—during which it adopted 63 resolutions covering operational guidelines, governance structures, budget frameworks and principles for allocating resources among the seven North-West states.
Ma’aji argued that committee activities and sitting allowances were legitimate governance expenses approved under the commission’s enabling law.
He, however, clarified that while the board approved governance-related expenditures, responsibility for processing payments rested with the commission’s management, particularly the Managing Director and the finance department.
The board chairman also lamented what he described as poor implementation of board resolutions, communication gaps and delays in executing critical operational decisions, which he said had slowed the commission’s take-off.
Several senators insisted that the Federal Ministry of Regional Development must take responsibility for the prolonged failure to appoint executive directors, arguing that the vacancies had undermined the commission’s effectiveness at a time when the North-West urgently requires coordinated interventions to address insecurity and socio-economic challenges.
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.
Following the public hearing, the committee proceeded into a closed-door executive session to consider sensitive issues and seek further clarifications from officials.
The investigative hearing forms part of the Senate’s ongoing oversight of the newly established regional development commissions created to accelerate infrastructure development, economic recovery and peace-building across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
