Though Bauchi State House of Assembly has passed into law, the bill to establish Security Trust Fund and other connected purposes, the members refused to contribute part of their salaries to the fund.
The passage of the bill followed the submission of the report of the House Committee on Finance and Economic Development on a bill to establish Security Trust Fund and other connected purposes which was laid by the Chairman of the Committee, Dan’umma Bello representing Giade Constituency.
The committee while presenting its report during Tuesday plenary observed that the Security Trust Fund when established will be a direct response to the security challenges in the state and address the challenges confronting security agencies in the areas of logistics, mobility, communication, kits etc.
According to the committee, the fund is to raise money through voluntary donations thus, it is strictly donor-funded and money raised are for the effective functioning of all security agencies operating in Bauchi State.
The finance committee then recommended that the house shall be receiving a quarterly report from the fund’s board for transparency and accountability and the board shall be consulting the federal government’s security agencies where necessary.
The report further recommended that money under the fund be invested if condition warrants, adding that it will pave way for more funds and productivity and a whistleblower unit should be established within the board so that they will discharge their responsibilities effectively.
The committee then recommended that 0.1per cent of the statutory allocation of the state be budgeted and captured in the forthcoming 2022/2023 proposed appropriation bill to the fund’s board bill annually which is secured instruments.
It also recommended that all political office holders in the state should be charged 0.1 of their salaries and corporate organizations, financial institutions and contractors should be charged similar amounts from their approved net donations.
However, a debate ensued among the members on the donation by political appointees leading most of the members who spoke to argue that since 0.1per cent will be deducted from the statutory allocation of the state, and it is the source of their salaries, there was no need for another deduction from their salaries.
After a heated debate, the speaker subjected the matter to a voice voting in which the majority voted in favour of the removal of the section and approved 0.1 per cent from the statutory allocation of the state to the fund.
The house, thereafter, adopted all the recommendations of the committee with amendments after which the majority leader, Tijjani Muhammad Aliyu, requested the house to allow the bill to establish Security Trust Fund and other connected purposes undergo third reading and was seconded by the minority leader, Bakoji Aliyu Bobbo, representing Chiroma Constituency.
After putting the motion to voice vote, the members unanimously approved it, thereafter the speaker asked the clerk of the house to carry out the third reading and consequently passed the bill into law
The house thereafter adjourned to Tuesday, 3rd August 2021, as moved and seconded by the majority leader and minority leader.
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