On Thursday, the Senate approved allocating 15% from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to fund newly created zonal development commissions established by member-states.
The decision came after the Senate Committee on Special Duties presented and adopted its report on the bills creating the commissions.
During the clause-by-clause review of the South-South Development Commission Establishment Bill 2024, which serves as the blueprint for other zonal commissions, lawmakers debated the funding source. The Committee on Special Duties recommended that 15% of member states’ statutory allocations be earmarked for the commissions, sparking division among senators.
Lawmakers such as Yahaya Abdullahi (PDP, Kebbi North), Wasiu Eshinlokun (APC, Lagos East), and Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa West) expressed reservations, with Abdullahi cautioning that states might challenge this provision legally, as few would willingly reduce their allocations.
“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 voiced their wish to join the debate.
However, Senate President Godswill Akpabio intervened, affirming the provision’s constitutional validity.
“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 a voice vote, with the majority supporting the provision.
Following the passage of the consolidated bills, Akpabio thanked the senators for their efforts in finalizing the zonal development commissions, which, he noted, would support the newly established 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 had already been approved.
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