Senate amends bill to allow regional commissions receive 15% of states’ ‘allocations

The commissions will use the funds to manage their affairs.

The Senate on Thursday amended the bills establishing various regional development commissions to allow them receive 15 per cent from the statutory allocations of state governments to fund and manage their affairs.

The amendment was a concurrence bill seeking to amend the legislation that established North-west Development Commission (NWDC), South-east Development Commission (SEDC) and South-south Development Commission (SSDC).

The upper chamber passed the amendments bill after considering the report of its Committee on Special Duties, presented by its chairman, Kaka Shehu.

The Committee of the Whole considered the bill clause by clause.

Other regional commissions would also receive the same funds when they are finally established.

Report

The committee, in its report, recommended that 15 per cent statutory allocations of member states of any of the commission’s should be used to fund them.

But some senators spoke against the recommendation on the ground that some governors would not subscribe to the legislation and that may lead to litigation.

Abdullahi Yahaya (PDP, Kebbi North) specifically argued that demanding 15 per cent from the state allocation may not be achievable because the governors would not adhere.

He said the request may later lead to disagreement between the state and federal government and may resort to court cases.

“Mr President, distinguished colleagues, the 15 per cent of statutory allocations of member states recommended for funding of their zonal development commissions would be litigated against by some state government”, Mr Yahaya said.

Other senators including Wasiu Eshinlokun (APC, Lagos East) and Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa West) also argued against the allocation with submissions that the governors would not subscribe to it.

No deduction

In his submission, the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, supported that 15 per cent of the state allocations be transferred to the commissions for funding.

“Mr President, distinguished colleagues, the 15 per cent of Statutory allocation of member states recommended for funding of Zonal Development Commissions by the federal government, is not about deduction at all.

“What is recommended as contained in the report presented to us by the committee on special duties and being considered by the Senate now is that 15 per cent of statutory allocation of member states in a zonal development commission would by way of calculation by the federal government, used to fund the commission from the Consolidated Revenue Fund

“Each state has monthly statutory allocation, 15 per cent of which as contained in this report being considered, will be calculated by the federal government and removed from the consolidated Revenue Fund for funding of their Development Commission,” the deputy senate president said.

Constitutionally supported

Responding, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, argued that the 15 per cent was constitutionally supported.

Mr Akpabio urged his colleagues to support the provision as recommended.

“We don’t need to be debating on whether 15 per cent statutory allocation of member states in a commission would be deducted or not in view of provisions of section 162 (subsection 4) of 1999 constitution which empowers the National Assembly to appropriate from either the Consolidated Revenue Fund or Federation Account.

“Fifteen per cent of statutory allocation of member states has been recommended by the Senate and by extension National Assembly for funding of their zonal development commission by the federal government, anybody who want to go court over that may do so,” Mr Akpabio said.

After his comment, the senate president put the committee’s report to a voice vote and majority of the senators supported it.

He also said the provisions would be applicable to other commissions when they are established.