Budget Office Of Federation Clears Air On NEDC Funds

The Budget Office of the Federation has said the ₦246 billion allocation to the North East Development Commission is not meant for salaries alone.

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The office said claims suggesting the commission exists mainly to pay workers are wrong and based on poor understanding of how federal budgets are prepared.
The clarification was given on Thursday by the Director General of the Budget Office, Tanimu Yakubu, following public debate around figures in the 2025 budget.

LIST OF APPLICATIONS FOR REGULARISATION OF AREA COUNCIL LAND DOCUMENTS NULLIFIED/CANCELLED BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF FCT

He explained that the amount listed under NEDC is a bulk statutory allocation and not a final spending breakdown.
The issue centers on how budget figures appear at early stages, especially for statutory agencies. According to the Budget Office, when full details are not submitted on time, allocations may temporarily sit under personnel costs as a technical step, not as a real plan to spend the money on salaries.

LIST OF APPLICATIONS FOR REGULARISATION OF AREA COUNCIL LAND DOCUMENTS NULLIFIED/CANCELLED BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF FCT

Yakubu said development projects in the North East remain part of the budget plan. He listed areas such as farming support, food programmes, rebuilding of displaced persons camps, boreholes, orphanages, security support, and other community projects already captured in attached schedules.
The Budget Office added that staff costs are normal for agencies handling development work, as skilled workers are needed to plan and supervise projects. It also assured that the NEDC is monitored through budget laws, National Assembly oversight, audits, and performance reports, warning that false claims only confuse the public.