The House of Representatives is still pushing for the establishment of South West and South-South Development Commissions when it is still investigating the alleged N100 billion misappropriation by the North East Development Commission (NEC) and irregular N40 billion expenditure in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The House of Representatives recently launched investigations into financial malfeasance in both the North East Development Commission and Niger Delta Development Commission which is yet to be concluded.
While the investigations are still pending, the House on Thursday held a public hearing on the South West and South-South Development Commissions with a view to finally pass them into law.
In his keynote address at the public hearing, Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila said the proposed Bills will address some of the many developmental challenges that have plagued the South/West and South/South regions and impacted negatively on the lives and well-being of Nigerian citizens.
Gbajabiamila emphasized the need for collective efforts in the joint task of nation-building with the view to deliver for all our citizens, a country that lives up to our best expectations and our highest hopes.
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He noted that both legislations were initiated in “good faith efforts at using the instrument of statute to address some of the many developmental challenges that have plagued these regions and impacted negatively on the lives and well-being of Nigerian citizens who are trying to make something of their lives in these parts of the country.
“The House Committee of Justice has invited a broad cross-section of the public, including leaders and stakeholders from the South West and South-South regions of the country to hear your opinions on these Bills.
“I hope that you will take this opportunity to speak freely, to listen to the contributions of others and to ensure that your submissions focus on the broad interests of our country rather than the narrow expectations of particular interests”.
In his remarks, Chairman of the House Committee on Justice Ugonna Ozurigbo explained that the Bills divided into 33 and 30 clauses, took into consideration the issues of environmental degradation, destruction in the ecosystem, ecological issues and infrastructural decay/destructions in these zones and attempted to proffer remedial measures among others.
He assured that the Committee will be “fair, objective, neutral and critical in analyzing all the memoranda presented by the stakeholders shall be thoroughly assessed with a view of harmonizing same with the proposals before the committee such that in the end, the outcome of our collective efforts will be a true reflection of our general aspiration and in the best interest of the generality of the persons and the zones where these documents are expected to be operational.”
In his presentation, Chairman of South-West Governors’ Forum, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo through Mayowa Akinnfolarin expressed support for the establishment of the South West Commission, assured that the South-West Governors’ Forum will transmit its memorandum.
Also speaking, Chairman, Ogun State House of Assembly Committee on Justice, Solomon Osho, urged that the South/West 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 Pan Niger Delta Forum and Oil Mineral Processing Areas Stakeholders expressed overwhelming support for the establishment of the South West Development Commission and South-South Development Commission.
In a presentation, National Coordinator, Oil Mineral Processing Areas Stakeholders, 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 states 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.
