A bill seeking to establish the South-South Development Commission has been stepped down by the Nigerian Senate. Asuquo Ekpenyong, senator representing Cross River south, sponsored the bill. However, Benson Agadaga, senator representing Bayelsa east, led the debate in Ekpenyong’s absence.
Opposing further debate on the bill, senators Adamu Aliero and Abdul Ningi said the proposed commission was a duplication of the existing Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), advising the Senate to drop it. The upper legislative chamber recently passed bills to establish the North Central Development Commission and the North West Development Commission.
In a similar development, the Senate quashed a bill to establish the National Road Transport Council. The bill sponsored by Senator Yisa Ashiru Oyelola representing Kwara South, was to be saddled with the responsibility of regulating the road transport industry and the transport profession in Nigeria.
Opposing the passage of the bill, Senator Victor Umeh and Adams Oshiomhole argued that in line with recommendations from the Oransanye report which underpins shrinking agencies with multiplicity of functions, the legislature cannot be seen to be backing the creation of more.
