The Senate has amended the laws establishing regional development commissions and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Trust Fund to align their funding mechanisms with constitutional provisions. The amendments, which were passed on Wednesday during a plenary session, were necessitated by inconsistencies between specific clauses of the bills and the constitutional framework governing public funds.
The affected legislations include the North-West Development Commission (Establishment) Act (Amendment) Bill, the South-West Development Commission (Establishment) Act (Amendment) Bill, the South-East Development Commission (Establishment) Act (Amendment) Bill, and the NYSC Trust Fund (Establishment) Bill. These bills had initially been passed separately by both chambers of the National Assembly in June 2024 and subsequently assented to by President Bola Tinubu in July. Following their enactment, the president also appointed and inaugurated boards of directors for the commissions, while the National Assembly screened and confirmed the nominees.
The move to amend the laws was triggered by a legislative review that identified discrepancies in certain clauses, particularly in relation to funding sources. Leading the debate on the amendments, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele highlighted the necessity of revisiting the affected clauses to avert legal conflicts. He specifically referenced Clause 14 of the North-West and South-West Development Commissions Establishment Bills, Clause 15 of the South-East Development Commission Establishment Bill, and Clause 4(1) of the NYSC Trust Fund Establishment Bill as areas requiring modification.
Citing Section 1(1) and (3) of the 1999 Constitution, Bamidele emphasized that the constitution remains supreme, and any law that contravenes its provisions would be rendered null and void. He further pointed out that the affected clauses conflicted with Section 162 of the constitution, which mandates that all revenues accruing to the federation must be duly accounted for within the Consolidated Revenue Fund. To rectify these inconsistencies, the Senate relied on its Standing Orders, specifically Orders 1(b) and 52(6), to rescind its previous decisions and reconsider the amendments for passage.
During deliberations, the proposed amendments gained overwhelming support from senators. Subsequently, Senate President Godswill Akpabio put the amendments to a vote, and they were adopted by a majority. Akpabio affirmed that the revisions had effectively addressed constitutional concerns and ensured compliance with legal requirements governing the management of public funds.
With the amendments now approved by the Senate, the revised bills will be forwarded to the House of Representatives for concurrence. Should the House pass them without further modifications, they will be re-transmitted to President Tinubu for final assent. The development marks a crucial step in reinforcing the financial accountability of regional development commissions and ensuring that all funds allocated to them adhere to constitutional mandates.
