The reports on the bills which seek to establish the South-West and South-South Development Commission have been laid before the House of Representatives for further consideration.
The reports were laid concurrently by the Chairman, House Committee on Justice, Hon Ozurigbo Ugonna, who explained that the South-West Development Commission when operational, will be charged with the responsibility, among others to receive and manage funds of allocation from the Federation Account, including donations and gifts, the reconstruction and rehabilitation of roads, houses and other infrastructural damages suffered by the region, the need to tackle the ecological problems and any other related environmental or developmental challenges in the South-West States and for other related matters.
Some of the stakeholders who made presentations during the one-day public hearing on the bills, which took place on 3, December 2020, expressed optimism that the passage of the bills into law will address some of the many developmental challenges that have plagued these regions and impacted negatively on the lives and well-being of Nigerian citizens.
In his remarks, Chairman of South-West Governors’ Forum, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State who spoke through Hon Mayowa Akinfolarin expressed support for the establishment of the South-West Committee.
On his part, Chairman, Ogun State House of Assembly Committee on Justice, Hon Solomon Osho urged that the bill should be passed as it is expedient to cover the lacunas and pitfalls of relevant MDAs saddled with the responsibility of effecting developmental infrastructural projects in the country.
He also expressed support for the provision on the establishment of the South-West Development Commission headquarters in Ibadan, Oyo State being the commercial hub of the region in the pre-colonial era and its landmass.
Similarly, leaders of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and Oil Mineral Processing Areas Stakeholders expressed overwhelming support for the establishment of the South-West and South-South Development Commission.
According to Hon Ugonna, the South-South Development Commission when passed into law will be charged with the responsibility to receive and manage funds from the Federation Account Allocation and other sources, donations, grants and aids for the integration, development, resolution of infrastructural deficit, militancy, communal crisis as well as tackle ecological and environmental problems and for other related matters.
While expressing his view on the provisions of the bill, National Coordinator, Oil Mineral Processing Areas Stakeholders, Prince Maikpobi Okareme who expressed support for the establishment of the South-South Development Commission, who recommended Ughelli, Delta State as headquarters of the Commission, called for rotation of the position of the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the proposed commission among member states on the varied and specific contribution of each member states beginning from the highest.
In the bid to ensure adequate funding of the Commission, he urged that “Section 14(2b) which compels the oil and gas processing companies operating in the South-South to pay 3% of their annual budget to the new commission should be deleted.
“Wherever it appears in the South-West and South-East Development Commission bills should also be deleted. This funding provision which is part of the social responsibilities of the companies referred to is currently being paid to NDDC. Also, in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) currently before the National Assembly, a provision of 2.5% which we shall be seeking to increase to 10% is to be paid directly into the Host Communities Development Trust Fund.
“As part of the funds of the Commission, we have recommended that 20% of the total monthly VAT allocation due to each member state of the Commission should be deducted at source from the Federation Account. It is very necessary for the six South States to contribute to the funding of the new Commission in order to have a sense of ownership,” he stressed.
The reports on the two bills are expected to be considered at the Committee of the Whole.
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