There was heated argument among Senators on Thursday, about source of funding for the various Zonal Development Commissions, created by the Acts of National Assembly.
This was as the apex legislative Chamber expunged some provisions of Section 23 of their establishment bills, which initially conferred operational immunity on board and executives of the commissions.
Parallel arguments on approval of source of funding recommended for the commissions among Senators arose during clause by clause consideration of the South- South Development Commission Establishment bill 2024.
The South Development Commission establishment bill, was used as operational and structural template for the other five zonal development commissions.
Senate Committee on Special Duties had in its report, recommended that 15% of Statutory allocations of member States in a commission, be used to fund the commission by the federal government.
However, some Senators such as Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (PDP Kebbi North), Wasiu Eshinlokun (APC Lagos East), Seriake Dickson (PDP Bayelsa West), among others, raised observations on the recommendation.
Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, stated that the provision would lead to litigation against the federal government by the State government as no state would like its statutory allocation to be tampered with in the process of funding a zonal development commission.
“Mr President , distinguished colleagues , the 15% of statutory allocations of member States, recommended for funding of their zonal development commissions, would be litigated against by some state government”, he said.
In order to quickly correct the meaning read into the 15% statutory allocation of the State by Senator Yahaya Abdullahi and many other Senators who commented, the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, quickly rose to clarify the actual meaning of the clause.
In his explanation, Barau told the Senate that the 15% Statutory allocation of member states for funding of their zonal development commission, would not entail any deduction from their statutory allocation.
“Mr President, distinguished colleagues , the 15% 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% 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 % 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.
Notwithstanding Barau’s explanation, many of the Senators still not convinced, indicated their interest to speak but were denied the privilege by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, who said that the provision was in order as constitutionally supported.
“We don’t need to be debating on whether 15% 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.
“15 % 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”, he said.
He consequently put the question on adoption of the provision for voice votes to Senators and ruled that the ayes have it.
In his remarks after the passage of the consolidated bills, Akpabio thanked the Senators for spending several hours on final consideration and amendment of the Zonal Development Commission which according to him , would serve as bedrock for the newly created Ministry of Regional Development.
The bills cosidered and passsed are the South- South Development Commission Establishment Bill 2024, North West Development Commission Act (Amendment) Bill 2024, South East Development Commission Act (Amendment) Bill 2024 apart from the South West Development Commission Establishment Bill 2024 and North Central Development Commission Establishment Bill 2024 earlier passed.
