The Senate has asked the Federal Government to follow due process in the scrapping and merging of many ministries, parastatals, agencies, commissions and boards to cut the cost of governance.
Earlier, the government said it would implement the Steve Oronsaye committee report, which recommended scrapping ministries, including the National Film And Video Censors Board (NFVCB), to save costs.
But the lawmakers feel the National Assembly should be consulted before such a move is made.
They stated this on Tuesday during a debate on a motion on the “Urgent Need to Halt the Violation of the National Film and Video Censors Board.”
The motion, which was moved by Senator Ogoshi Onawo, indicated that a presidential committee chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, had started implementing the Oronsaye report without recourse to the Legislature.
According to him, a cabinet memo signed by Akume has directed that the Honourable Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, mandate the immediate dissolution of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFCVB), which will now be integrated as a department within the ministry instead of operating as a separate federal agency.
The motion further stated that the Senate is concerned that the directive violates the National Film and Video Censors Board Act, Cap 40, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 as amended.
According to him, the government’s move would amount to “illegality” insofar as it was not referred to the National Assembly for the necessary legislative input.
In its resolution, the Senate advised the SGF and the minister to suspend the winding down of the National Film and Video Censors Board forthwith, if it’s true that the government had indeed commenced the scrapping of the NFVCB.
Meanwhile, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, told his colleagues to tread with caution, especially as there was no evidence linking Akume’s memo to the Oronsaye committee report.
“If they are implementing it, all the Acts will be brought before parliament for repeal in line with the due process,” Akpabio said.
