Reps Approve N346.3bn NDDC 2019 Budget

The House of Representatives has passed the 2019 Appropriation Bill of N346.388billion for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), for its 2019 operations.
This was sequel to a unanimous adoption of a report on the bill by the NDDC Chairman, Rep. Olubumi Tunji-Ojo (APC-Ondo), at the Committee on Supply, yesterday in Abuja.
The House approved an overhead expenditure of N13.4billion, N4.08billion for internal capital expenditure and N306.6billion for development projects.
Addressing journalists after the passage of the bill, Tunji-Ojo said that the implementation of the budget was expected to end by May 31, as the House has commenced the process to approve the 2020 budget for the commission.
He explained that in the past, the NDDC had been running its budget in arrears, added that the 9th House of Representatives insisted things must be done properly.
Tunji-Ojo said that the House insisted that the 2019 and 2020 budgets be submitted to the House, which was done late last year.
He said that the House must pass the 2019 budget before that of 2020 in line with legislative best practices.
“We are starting work immediately on the 2020 budget, and in no time, may be by next month, we should have gone far enough to pass it on or before May, 2020.