The re-introduction of the south-south development commission bill and request from Tinubu were the issues discussed in the senate today.
- Senate amends N/W, S/W Commission Laws over leadership positions
The Senate has passed for second reading a bill to amend the North West Development Commission Act 2024. The bill seeking to provide for political representation in the Governing Board of the Commission was sponsored by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central). Bamidele emphasised that the amendment bill also seeks to reconcile the lacuna that exists in the provisions, relating to the appointments of the chairman and managing director of the commission by ensuring that the two are not appointed from the same state of the zone, as well as subject the appointments to the confirmation of the senate in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The senate also passed for second reading, a bill seeking to amend the South East Development Commission Act 2024, also sponsored by Sen. Bamidele who gave similar reason as the North West bill. The bills were referred to the committee of the whole for the next legislative day.
- Re-introduction of South-South Development Commission bill
The Senate has passed for second reading, a bill seeking to establish the South-South Development Commission. OrderPaper recalls that the bill was previously suspended in July on grounds that the bill is a duplication of the functions of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) which already takes care of the objectives of the proposed piece of legislation. The bill was however reintroduced and co-sponsored by all 17 senators from the south-south region. Presenting his lead debate during the day’s plenary, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (APC, Cross River South) noted that the Commission when established will be saddled 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 deficits, mini, communal crisis as well as tackle ecological, environmental problems The bill passed second reading after the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio put it to a voice vote. It was thereafter referred to the committee on special duties to report back within one week.
READ ALSO: Tinubu forwards tax reform bills to the House of Reps
- Tinubu transmits four fiscal policy and tax reform bills to the Senate
The Senate has received four different executive bills from President Bola Tinubu for far reaching tax reforms, one of which is seeking for renaming of Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS). This was contained in the letter read during plenary by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio titled: “The Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill which according to President Tinubu, seeks to repeal the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, No. 13, 2007 and establishes the Nigeria Revenue Service, to assess, collect and account for revenue accruable to the government of the federation. Other reforms bill in the letter titled: “Transmission of Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Bills to the National Assembly,” are (i)The Nigeria Tax Bill which seek to provide a consolidated fiscal framework for taxation in Nigeria, (ii) The Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, which seeks to provide a clear and concise legal framework for the fair, consistent and efficient administration of all the tax laws to facilitate ease of tax compliance, reduce tax disputes and optimize revenue. The president also transmitted the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill which establishes the Joint Revenue Board, the Tax Appeal Tribunal, and the Office of The Tax Ombudsman for harmonizing, coordinating, and settling disputes arising from revenue administration in Nigeria. He also transmitted the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill, urging the Senate to give the Bills expeditious consideration. According to him, once the bill is passed into law, it will stimulate the Nigerian economy. Akpabio thereafter referred the bills to the Senate Committee on Finance to report back in three weeks.
BILLS CHART FOR THE DAY
Below is OrderPaper’s signature presentation of bills taken in Senate plenary today. Readers are invited to contact us for further information via info@orderpaper.ng or WhatsApp via +234 704 700 3031
