Senate Amends Regional Commissions, NYSC Trust Fund Bills to Address Constitutional Concerns

The Nigerian Senate, on Wednesday, amended critical sections of the bills establishing the Regional Development Commissions and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Trust Fund to address constitutional discrepancies related to their funding structures.

Presiding over the session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio stated that the amendments were necessary to prevent violations of Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which mandates that all revenues generated by the Federation be deposited into the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

The Senate made adjustments to Clauses 14 and 15 of the laws establishing the North-West, South-West, and South-East Development Commissions, as well as Clause 4(1) of the 2025 NYSC Trust Fund Establishment Bill.
These amendments ensure that the commissions and the proposed Trust Fund align with constitutional provisions on public finance.

The revisions were triggered by a motion titled “Re-committal of Bills to the Committee of the Whole”, presented by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC-Ekiti).
Bamidele reminded the chamber that the bills had already passed both the Senate and House of Representatives and had been forwarded to the Clerk of the National Assembly for onward transmission to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
However, upon closer scrutiny, lawmakers noticed that certain funding provisions conflicted with constitutional guidelines.

“The Constitution is the supreme law of the land, and any legislation that contradicts it becomes null and void to the extent of its inconsistency,” Bamidele emphasized, referencing Section 1, Subsections (1) and (3) of the Constitution.
He noted that to uphold legislative integrity, the Senate invoked Orders 1(b) and 52(6) of its standing orders to rescind previous decisions and recommit the affected bills for proper review.

Following the amendments, Senate President Akpabio confirmed that all bills are now in full compliance with constitutional mandates.
“The concerns raised under Section 162 of the Constitution regarding the allocation and management of public funds have been adequately addressed,” he assured.

Akpabio praised the efforts of the Senate’s establishment committee and lawmakers for their swift action, citing their “dedication, patience, and patriotic zeal” in ensuring the bills were constitutionally sound. He announced that the corrected bills would be transmitted to President Tinubu for final approval.

These amendments underscore the Senate’s commitment to upholding the rule of law while promoting regional development and strengthening the NYSC’s operational framework.