Lawmakers in the Senate on Friday openly expressed frustration over the paucity of funds.
A mild drama unfolded as the senators lamented that the development has hindered the effective functioning of standing committees and hampered budget implementation.
The complaints emerged during a meeting between the Senate Committee on Appropriations and the chairmen of various Senate standing committees.
The first to raise the issue was Senator Anthony Ani (Ebonyi South), who disclosed that the Senate Committee on the South-East Development Commission has not received any funding since its inauguration.
“Mr Chairman, you have read out the timetable to be followed by the various committees for consideration of the 2026 budget, but the Senate Committee on the South-East Development Commission that I belong to does not have money to organise meetings with any agency due to zero allocation since its formation and inauguration,” Ani said.
He added that, based on credible information, other Senate committees overseeing zonal development commissions were yet to receive funding, questioning how such committees could function effectively.
Corroborating Ani’s concerns, the chairman of the Senate Committee on the North-Central Development Commission, Senator Titus Zam (Benue North-West), warned that the initial excitement over the creation of the commissions should not be allowed to turn into disappointment.
“Lack of funding for the Committees on Zonal Development Commissions in the Senate is gradually turning the excitement that heralded their creation into disappointment and even lamentation,” Zam said.
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