Senators divided over source of funding for Zonal Development Commissions

Senators were on Thursday divided while debating the source of funding for the newly established Zonal Development Commissions which have been signed into law by President Bola Tinubu.

All the geopolitical zones have their Zonal Development Commissions with exception of the North Central zone, which the bill is currently receiving legislative attention.

The sharp disagreement ensued on the source of funding while considering the South-South Development Commission Establishment bill 2024 as operational and structural template for the other Commissions.

The rancorous debate followed a report submitted by the Senate Committee on Special Duties which recommended that 15% of Statutory allocations of member States should be used to fund the Commission by the federal government.”

In their observations, Senators Yahaya Abdullahi (PDP Kebbi North), Wasiu Eshinlokun (APC Lagos East) and Seriake Dickson PDP Bayelsa West), argued that tampering with the funds going to states would generate a constitutional crisis.

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They feared that governors would go to court against the Federal Government, even as governors have premised their expenditure proposal including minimum wage on their resources.

Senator Yahaya Abdullahi said: “Mr President, distinguished colleagues, the 15% of statutory allocations of member States, recommended for funding of their zonal development commissions, would be litigated against by some state governments.”

His line of argument was corroborated by other lawmakers in the upper legislative chamber.

In a bid to quickly correct the meaning read into the 15% statutory allocation, the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, drawing attention to the Committee’s report, posited that the 15% Statutory allocation of member states for funding of their zonal development commission, would not entail any deduction from their statutory allocation.

“Mr President, distinguished colleagues, the 15% 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% 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,” he said.

Barau’s clarification did not dissuade skepticism as some Senators wondered on the possibility of funding the Commissions without statutory deductions.

Amid rancor by Senators, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio calmed nerves.

“We don’t need to be debating on whether 15% statutory allocation of member states in a commission would be deducted or not in view of provisions of section 162 ( subsection 4) of 1999 constitution which empowers the National Assembly to appropriate from either the Consolidated Revenue Fund or Federation Account.

“15 % of statutory allocation of member states has been recommended by the Senate and by extension, National Assembly, for funding of their zonal development commission by the federal government, anybody who wants to go to court over that may do so,” he said.