Senator seeks law to set up north-central commission — after south-east, south-west bills

A bill seeking to establish an agency known as the North-Central Development Commission has passed first reading at the senate.

The bill passed first reading after Nelson Ayewoh, clerk of the senate, read the short title of it.

Mohammed Musa, senator representing Niger east, is the sponsor of the bill.

Musa is also the sponsor of the controversial bill seeking to regulate social media in the country.

The bill seeking to establish the north-central commission is coming after two proposed laws seeking to establish the south-west and south-east commissions were introduced in the upper legislative chamber.

While Ibikunle Amosun, senator representing Ogun central, is sponsored the south-west commission bill, Stella Oduah, senator representing Anambra north, sponsored that of the south-east.

Last week, Ezrel Tabiowo, special assistant (press) to president of the senate, in a statement said clause 15 (2a) of the south-east bill identifies source of funding for the commission.

“[It] stipulates that the equivalent of 10% of the total monthly statutory allocation due to the member states of the commission shall be from the federation account,” he said.

Currently, there are the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the North-East Development Commission, and the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission.