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Tag: South-South Development Commission Bill

  • PANDEF urges Tinubu to assent to South-South Development Commission Bill

    PANDEF urges Tinubu to assent to South-South Development Commission Bill

    The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has called on President Bola Tinubu to sign the South-South Development Commission (SSDC) Bill into law.

    The group also demanded the renaming of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) back to its original name, Oil Mineral Producing Area Development Commission (OMPADEC).

    Speaking to journalists after a Board of Trustees meeting, PANDEF’s National Spokesperson, Dr. Obiuwevbi Ominimini, emphasized that signing the SSDC bill would promote justice and equity, just as similar bills for other regions have received presidential approval.

    He clarified that the NDDC should not be mistaken for the South-South Commission, as it serves oil-producing communities beyond the South-South region. 

    According to Ominimini, the NDDC was designed to cater to all oil-producing areas across Nigeria, not just the South-South states.

    PANDEF urged the federal government to address these concerns promptly, ensuring fair treatment for the South-South region in line with other parts of the country.

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    “Subscribes to the desirability of having a Development Commission for all the six geographic zones of the country without exception and therefore views this withholding of assent as a grave oversight or error, capable of creating a feeling of exclusion and dejection on the part of the people of the South-South.

    “The non-assent of this bill leaves the South-South region orphaned within the broader context of regional development commissions which include the North East Development Commission (NEDC), North West Development Commission (NWDC), South West Development Commission 

    “The BOT reminds Mr. President and the Federal Government that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was established by law in 2000 to mitigate specific issues targeting oil mineral producing communities and to create an enabling environment for hitch free oil and gas activities in the host communities. Hence the NDDC has its own specific funding formula and modus operandi.

    “PANDEF further noted that, whereas the Niger Delta region has a definite geographic boundary, the membership of the NDDC has extended beyond this boundary to include other oil producing states such as Abia, Imo, Ondo and others, with a possibility of extending further to include other states in the future.

    “The meeting therefore strongly recommended that the name, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) which could become a misnomer, should revert to its earlier designation as Oil Mineral Production Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC). This will distinguish it and prevent any confusion between it and the newly created South-South Development Commissions all of which directed at are creating inclusive national development irrespective of their production of natural resources, hence their location within the Ministry of Regional Development which at present is ably manned by Engr. Abubakar Momoh, in whom we are well pleased.

    “PANDEF restates that the assent to the South-South Development Commission bill will promote broader regional development in the area and complements the work of the NDDC, especially under the present capable Board and Managing Director, Dr. Sammy Ogbuku.

    “This is the region that produces the money that runs this country. And today, we have development Commissions for the various geopolitical zones.

    PANDEF also called on President Tinubu to appoint somebody from the Niger Delta region as the next Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited. 

    PANDEF also described as regrettable the recent decision by NNPC to join some private investors to develop five new LNG, CNG and LP complexes in Kogi State with none in the Niger Delta, where the gas for most of these activities will come from.

    The group said the decision “negates all known economic parameters on siting industries close to source of raw materials, it gives credence to the long standing agitation on the fact that NNPC and its management continue to pursue very unfair policies towards the South-South zone.”

    “ The BOT therefore calls on Mr. President to direct the NNPC to redress this situation and equally accelerate similar investments in the Niger Delta which should include the siting of mini refineries within the area,” the group added. 

    Ominimini stressed that “the people of Niger Delta are the most peaceful people in the country.”

    He added: “If other regions are of the positions of Niger Delta, they would have left Nigeria. The people of Niger Delta should be commended for their loyalty to the Nigeria project. We have, over the years, been very loyal to the Nigeria State.”

  • Senate passes South-South Development Commission Bill

    Senate passes South-South Development Commission Bill

    The Senate yesterday passed the South South Development Commission (SSDC) Bill.

    It also passed amendments to the Acts Establishing the North West Development, South East Development Commission, South West Development Commissions to make provisions for geopolitical representations.

    The passage came less than 24 hours after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) renamed the Niger Delta Ministry as the Ministry of Regional Development to oversee Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Development Commissions in the six geo-political zones.

    Yesterday’s resolution of the Senate followed its consistent and adoption of the recommendations of its Committee on Special Duties, chaired by Senator Kaka Shehu.

    The resolution was on the Shehu-led committee report on the Bill titled: “A Bill for an Act to Establish South South Development Commission charged with the responsibility to receive and manage funds from the Federation Account Allocation and other sources, donations, grants, aids for the integration, development, resolution of infrastructural deficit, militancy, communal crises as well as tackle ecological, environmental problems; and for related matters, 2024.”

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    The Bill was sponsored by All Progressive Congress (APC) Cross River South Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong.

    The Bill was co-sponsored by all Senators from the South South including Senate President Godswill Akpabio,  Sampson Ekong Akpan, Etim Aniekan Bassey, Sunday Benson Agadaga and Konbowei Friday Benson.

    Others are: Henry Seriake Dickson, Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, Eteng Jonah Williams, Ede Dafinone, Thomas Joel-Onowakpo, Munir Chinedu Nwoko, Neda Imasuen, Monday Okpebholo, Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, Heacho Allwell Onyesoh, Ipalibo Harry Banigo and Barinada Barry Mpigi.

    There was however heated arguments among senators on source of funding for the various zonal development commissions created by the National Assembly.

    Besides, the Senate during the consideration, struck out provisions in Section 23 of the  bills conferring  operational immunity  on board and executives of the commissions.

    Arguments on approval of source of funding recommended for the commission among Senators arose during clause by clause consideration of the SSDC Bill.

    The Senate Committee on Special Duties had in its report,  recommended that 15 per cent of statutory allocations of member States in a commission, should be used to fund the commission by the federal government.

    But some senators like Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (PDP – Kebbi North), Wasiu Eshinlokun (APC – Lagos East) and Seriake Dickson (PDP – Bayelsa West) objected to the recommendation.

    Specifically, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi said the provision would lead to litigation against the federal government from state governments as no state would like its statutory allocation to be tampered with in the process of funding a zonal development commission.

    “The 15 per cent of statutory allocations of member states recommended for funding of the zonal development commissions would be litigated against by some state governments,” he said.

    In a bid to quickly correct the meaning read into the 15 per cent statutory allocation of the state by Senator Abdullahi and many other Senators who indicated interest to comment,  the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, quickly rose to correct their impression.

    Senator Barau in his explanation told the Senate that the 15 per cent statutory allocation of member states for funding of the zonal development commissions would not lead to any deduction from their statutory allocations.

    “The 15 per cent 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.

    “Each state has monthly statutory allocation, 15 % of which as contained in this report being considered, will be calculated by the federal government and removed from the consolidated Revenue Fund for funding of their development commission,” Barau said.

    Despite Barau’s explanation, many senators, who were not swayed, indicated their interest to speak but were prevented from doing so by the President of the Senate who said the provision was in order as constitutionally supported.

    He said: “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.

    “Fifften15 % 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 want to go court over that may do so.”

    Barau consequently put the question on adoption of the provision to voice vote and ruled that the ‘ayes have it’.

    In his remarks after the passage of the bills, Akpabio thanked his colleagues for spending several hours on final consideration and passage of the SSDC Bill and amendments of the Zonal Development Commissions Acts which according to him, would serve as bedrock for the newly-created Ministry of Regional Development.