By Nathaniel Zacchaeus, Abuja
Senators engaged in a heated exchange of words yesterday over the funding source for the various zonal development commissions established by the two chambers of the National Assembly recently.
The senators also rejected some provisions of Section 23 of their establishment bills, which conferred operational immunity on the commissions’ boards and executives.
They were sharply divided during the clause-by-clause consideration of the South-South Development Commission Establishment Bill 2024 in plenary.
The lawmakers refused to agree on adopting the modality as an operational and structural template for other commissions.
The Senate Committee on Special Duties had, in its report, recommended that 15 per cent of statutory allocations of member states in a commission should be used to fund the Commission by the Federal Government
Senators, including Yahaya Abdullahi (PDP, Kebbi North), Wasiu Eshinlokun (APC, Lagos East), and Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa West), among others, raised observations on the recommendation.
Specifically, Abdullahi said the provision would lead to litigation against the Federal Government by the state government.
He said no state would like its statutory allocation tampered with when funding a zonal development commission.
Abdullahi, who was Senate Leader in the 9th Assembly, said, “The 15 percent statutory allocations of member states recommended for funding the zonal development commissions would be litigated against by some state government.”
Abdullahi and other senators who indicated interest in comment, including the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, quickly rose to correct their impression of the meaning read into the state’s 15 percent statutory allocation.
For instance, Barau, in his explanation, told the Senate that the 15 percent statutory allocation of member states for funding their zonal development commission would not entail any deduction from that allocation.
Barau said, “The 15 percent of the statutory allocation of member states recommended by the federal government for funding Zonal Development Commissions is not about deduction.
“Let me explain what has been recommended as contained in the report presented to us by the committee on Special duties and being considered by the Senate now.
“It is that 15 percent of statutory allocation of member states in a zonal development commission would, by calculation by the Federal Government, be used to fund the Commission from the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
“Each state has a monthly statutory allocation, 15 percent 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.
Despite Barau’s explanation, many of the senators still not convinced indicated their interest in speaking, but the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, who said the provision was in order as constitutionally supported, prevented them from doing so.
“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 given provisions of section 162 ( subsection 4) of 1999 constitution, which empowers the National Assembly to be appropriate from either the Consolidated Revenue Fund or Federation Account.
“The Senate has recommended 15 percent of statutory allocation of member states and, by extension, National Assembly, for funding of their zonal development commission by the Federal Government, anybody who wants to go court over that may do so,” he said.
He consequently questioned the adoption of the provision for a voice vote and the senators’ support.
In his remarks after the consolidated bills passed, Akpabio thanked the Senators for spending several hours on the final consideration and amendment of the Zonal Development Commission, which, according to him, would serve as the bedrock for the newly created Ministry of Regional Development.
The bills considered and passed were the South-South Development Commission Establishment Bill 2024, North West Development Commission Act (Amendment) Bill 2024, and South East Development Commission Act (Amendment) Bill 2024.
The South West Development Commission Establishment Bill 2024 and North Central Development Commission Establishment Bill 2024 were passed earlier.
