The Senate, on Thursday, approved 15 per cent from the Consolidated Revenue Fund as source of funding for the newly created zonal development commissions by member-states.
The approval followed consideration and adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on Special Duties on the bills establishing the commissions.
Earlier, the lawmakers were divided over the source of funding for the newly created zonal development commissions.
The disagreement emerged during the clause-by-clause consideration of the South-South Development Commission Establishment Bill 2024, which serves as the structural template for other zonal commissions.
Central to the debate was the Senate Committee on Special Duties’ recommendation that 15 per cent of statutory allocations from member states be directed towards funding these commissions.
Several lawmakers, including Yahaya Abdullahi (PDP, Kebbi North), Wasiu Eshinlokun (APC, Lagos East), and Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa West), voiced concerns over the proposed funding model.
Abdullahi warned that the provision could lead to legal challenges from state governments, as no state would willingly allow its statutory allocation to be reduced.
“Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, the 15 per cent of statutory allocations of member states recommended for funding their zonal development commissions would be litigated against by some state governments,” Abdullahi said.
Seeking to clarify the matter, the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, quickly intervened.
He explained that the 15 per cent allocation would not involve a direct deduction from the states’ funds.
He said, “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 a 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.”
Despite Barau’s explanation, several senators remained unconvinced and expressed their desire to contribute to the debate.
However, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, stepped in, asserting that the provision was constitutionally sound.
“We don’t need to debate whether 15 per cent of statutory allocations from member states in a commission would be deducted,” Akpabio said, citing Section 162(4) of the 1999 Constitution, which grants the National Assembly the authority to appropriate funds from either the Consolidated Revenue Fund or the Federation Account.
“Fifteen per cent of the statutory allocation has been recommended by the Senate and, by extension, the National Assembly, for funding these zonal development commissions. Anyone who wishes to challenge that in court is free to do so,” he added.
Akpabio then called for a voice vote, and the majority voted in favour of the provision.
In his remarks following the passage of the consolidated bills, Akpabio expressed gratitude to the senators for their efforts in finalising the zonal development commissions.
He noted that these commissions would provide a foundation for the newly created Ministry of Regional Development.
The bills passed include the South-South Development Commission Establishment Bill 2024, the North West Development Commission Act (Amendment) Bill 2024, and the 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 previously passed. – Punch.
