Senate Approves 15% Funding Allocation For Regional Development Commissions

Senate Approves 15% Funding Allocation For Regional Development CommissionsThe Senate approved a 15% allocation from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to finance the newly established zonal development commissions for member states. This decision followed the consideration and adoption of the Senate Committee on Special Duties’ report on the bills that set up these commissions.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The approval came after lawmakers faced divisions over the funding source during the detailed review of the South-South Development Commission Establishment Bill 2024, which acts as a framework for the other zonal commissions.

A key aspect of the debate centered on the committee’s proposal to allocate 15% of statutory allocations from member states to support these commissions. Several senators, including Yahaya Abdullahi (PDP, Kebbi North), Wasiu Eshinlokun (APC, Lagos East), and Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa West), raised concerns about the implications of this funding model. Abdullahi cautioned that this provision could invite legal challenges from state governments, which may resist any reduction in their statutory allocations.

In response to these concerns, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin clarified that the 15% allocation would not involve a direct deduction from states’ funds. He emphasized that the federal government would manage the allocation process without reducing the funds available to the states.

For more information on this article and other related posts from Bushradiogist, please join our WhatsApp channel by clicking this link https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaUumOODTkK7AZL1Fw3o. For advertisement inquiries only, kindly send a message to 090 1907 0863 on WhatsApp.