Reps amend South West devt commission bill, remove 3% seaports, airport revenues

The House of Representatives on Wednesday amended the South West Development  Commission Establishment Bill by deleting four major clauses from it. This followed the consideration and adoption of the report on the bill referred to the house from the Senate. The bill seeks to “establish the South West Development Commission charged with the responsibility, among […]

The House of Representatives on Wednesday amended the South West Development  Commission Establishment Bill by deleting four major clauses from it.

This followed the consideration and adoption of the report on the bill referred to the house from the Senate.

The bill seeks 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 damage 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 bill were on Section 14(b, c, d, and e).

Clause 14(b), which provided that: “3 per cent of the annual budget of any federal seaport and airport operating in the South West,” was deleted.

Similarly, Clause 14(c), which provided that: “3 per cent of the total annual budget of any oil-producing company operating, onshore and offshore, in the South West states: including gas processing companies,” was deleted.

In the same vein, Clause 14(d), which provided that: “3 per cent of the total annual budget of any solid mineral extracting mining company operating in the South West states,” was expunged.

Also, Clause 14(e), which provided that: “50 per cent of monies due to member-states of the commission from the Ecological Fund,” was deleted.