Senate approves North Central Development Commission

The Senate passed into law on Thursday the bill for the establishment of the North Central Development Commission, NCDC, sponsored by the senator representing Benue South Senatorial District and Senate Minority Leader, Abba Patrick Moro and the other senators from North Central Nigeria.

The bill, which passed first and second readings on October 5, 2023, and February 21, 2024, respectively, was first sponsored in the 9th Senate by Senator Moro, where it passed first and second readings, but could not get presidential assent before the expiration of the 9th Senate.

Senator Moro had argued in his lead debate that the commission, when established, would be saddled with the responsibility of receiving and managing funds from the federal government and donors for the resettlement, rehabilitation, integration and reconstruction of roads, houses and business premises of flood victims.

He added that it would also address the farmers-herders clashes, communal clashes, construction of large format drainage systems, dredging of rivers Niger and Benue to control floods and incidental matters, as well as tackling the menace of poverty, illiteracy and other related environmental or developmental challenges facing North Central Nigeria.

The passage of the bill followed the adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on Special Duties submitted during plenary.

The Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, who presided over the plenary, congratulated Senator Moro and all those who contributed to the success of the bill.

He expressed optimism that President Tinubu would assent to the bill for the overall development of North Central Nigeria, which comprises Kogi, Niger, Benue, Kwara, Plateau, Nasarawa and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.