By Haruna Salami
The Senate Committee on North West Development Commission (NWDC) has raised concerns over the operations of the, particularly the delayed appointment of executive directors, alleged internal divisions, and the spending of about N943 million on board allowances.
At an investigative session with officials of the commission and the Federal Ministry of Regional Development, lawmakers questioned why 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.
Minister of State for Regional Development, Alhaji Uba Maigari Ahmadu, who appeared before the committee, said the ministry had intervened in the lingering dispute over office accommodation for the commission in Kano.
He explained that the NWDC initially operated from offices donated by private organisations, but persistent disagreements over which facility should serve as the headquarters created friction between the board and management.
According to the minister, the Kano State Government has now provided a fully furnished office, operational vehicles and a plot of land for the commission. He said the ministry, board and management officially took over the facility last week and directed that all other offices be closed to end the controversy.
“The NWDC 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,” the minister told the committee.
He said the absence of executive directors had weakened the management structure of the commission and contributed to operational difficulties since its inauguration, noting that although the board was inaugurated in February 2025 to prevent further delay in take-off, the commission had continued to grapple with one crisis after another.
The committee was particularly alarmed by documents before it indicating that out of N1.19 billion spent by the commission, N943 million went to allowances for members of the governing board, representing nearly 79 per cent of the expenditure under that subhead.
Lawmakers described the figure as disturbing and inconsistent with the intent behind the establishment of the commission, which was to bring development closer to the people of the North West and address pressing challenges, especially insecurity and infrastructure deficits.
The Chairman of the Governing Board, Professor Abdullahi Shehu Ma’aji, defended the board’s activities, saying its actions were backed by the North West Development Commission Act, 2024. He said the board had held seven meetings: five regular and two emergency sessions during which it passed 63 resolutions aimed at setting up the institutional and policy framework for the commission.
According to him, the board approved standing orders, operational guidelines, committee structures, budget frameworks and fund allocation principles for the seven states in the North West. He added that committee activities and sitting allowances were lawful governance expenses under the establishing Act.
Ma’aji, however, drew a distinction between approval of expenditures and actual disbursement of funds.
He said while the board approved legitimate governance expenses, the responsibility for processing payments rested with the management of the commission, particularly the Managing Director and finance officials.
Lawmakers also raised concerns over delays in staff recruitment and the implementation of the commission’s capital budget, despite approvals reportedly granted since February.
They stressed that the commission was created to address development deficits and insecurity in the region and should not be bogged down by administrative disputes and governance lapses.
Speaking with journalists after the long closed door meeting, the chairman Senate Committee on NWDC, Senator Babangida Hussaini said intent of the meeting was to take a briefing from the Commission in respect of the milestone they have covered, especially since they have started some limited operations.
Therefore, it is fitting for the members of the Senate to be fully availed information about the progress they have made in various sectors of their activities.
He said:“In specific terms, we look at their finances, because it’s an oversight. We are chasing the money to see that the funds so far released is judiciously applied.
“And then at the same time, we also looked at their procurement processes, the governance systems that is in place, and also the processes leading to procurement.
“So far, we have gotten satisfactory answers as to the progress they are making, and we will be following up with the Commission to see that the Northwest region drives greater benefit from the activities of the Commission.”
On the frosty relationship between the MD and the chairman of the board, Senator Hussaini said “it is always normal in any relationship to have these slight hitches and they are just routine matters that happen all the time and we have availed ourselves the opportunity of this meeting with the ministry to sort out and settle the difference”.
The alleged MD’s expenditure to see the governor of Kano state including DTA and flight tickets while the commission is headquartered in Kano.
Hussaini said “I think the explanation is that at that time they were based in Abuja; they had not relocated to Kano, that was the explanation. Therefore, he had to fly down to Kano.
“They took their office just two days back, they had been staying here in Abuja. It is on record that that office only was finished and handed over on Thursday.”
