The House of Representatives removed four significant provisions from the South West Development Commission’s Establishment Act at its plenary on Wednesday, making significant changes to the organization.
When the House leadership listed the bill for consideration on Wednesday’s Order Paper and then pulled out a Supplementary Order Paper, the bill’s report—which had been gazetted for consideration on Tuesday’s Order Paper—was given accelerated consideration. The bill was then gazetted for Third Reading and passed.
The purpose of the bill is to “establish the South West Development Commission charged with the responsibility, among other things, to receive and manage funds from allocation of the Federation Account, including donations and gifts for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of infrastructural damages suffered in the region and to tackle the ecological, environmental and other developmental challenges in the Region and for related matters.”
The proposed amendments to the Establishment Act were on Section 14(b, c, d, and e).Clause 14(b), which provided that: “3 percent of the annual budget of any Federal seaport and airport operating in the South West,” was deleted.
In the same vein, Clause 14(d), which provided that: “3 percent of the total annual budget of any solid mineral extracting mining company operating in the South West States,” was expunged.
Finally, Clause 14(e), which provided that: “50 percent of monies due to member-States of the Commission from the Ecological Fund,” was deleted.
According to confidential information obtained by our correspondent, President Bola Tinubu would get the modified bill today for his signature.
