NDDC to provide for flood control in 2024 budget

Ini Friday, Uyo

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has said it will make provisions for flood control measures in its 2024 budget following its impact on the region and NiMET’s predictions.

The agency also proposed the provision of IDP camps in all the local government areas within the region to reduce the impact of flood disasters, adding that it would embrace a lean budget to ensure projects were completed within a realistic budget cycle.

In a communique issued on Wednesday in Uyo after a two-day Partners for Sustainable Development (PSD) Budget Conference on the proposed NDDC 2024 Budget christened “Budget of Reconstruction”, and signed by NDDC’s Executive Director, Finance and Administration (EDFA), Major General Charles Airhiavbere (rtd.), on behalf of the stakeholders, the body said it would balance political demands and service to the people by executing people-centric projects.

“Due to flood predictions and impact on the region, there is a need for provisions for flood control measures in the 2024 Budget under the regional provision, as well as provision of IDP camps in the LGAs of the region for flood impact reduction.

“The commission should operate a lean budget that will allow and enable her to commence and complete projects within a certain and realistic budget cycle.

“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 communique stated.

The body suggested a town hall meeting where all the ethnic nationalities of the region would gather to discuss and receive inputs from the people directly before the budget session is convoked.

It further submitted that the payment timeline for contractors should not exceed 45 days, while allowing for 15 days buffer after which penalties will accrue for non-payment of contractors, adding that all completed projects be removed from the budget to allow for the inclusion of new projects.