The Senate, on Tuesday, called on the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume and the Minister of Culture and Creative Economy, Hajia Hanatu Musawa, to stop the winding down on the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB).
Accordingly, the Upper Chamber ordered them to immediately commence the process of repealing the Act establishing the agency before scrapping the Board.
The Senate passed the resolutions following its consideration of a motion sponsored to that effect by Senator Mohammed Onawo Ogoshi (PDP Nasarawa South).
Senator Onawo in the motion titled: “urgent need to halt violation of the National Film and Video Censors Board Act”, told the Senate that a memo signed by the SGF, directed to the Honorable Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, mandated 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.
He pointed out that the directive violated the National Film and Video Censors Board Act Cap No.40 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 (as amended).
“The process of winding down an Agency of government which came into force through an Act of Parliament should first commence by the repeal of the Act establishing the said Agency.
“The Oronsaye report is a committee report that should not override an Act of Parliament”, he said.
The lawmaker noted that the Ministry had been instructed to complete the administrative and financial processes to wind down the NFVCB within three weeks with effect from 21st June, 2024, and report back to the SGF’s office within the first month after it becomes a department of the ministry.
“This abuse of rule of law if goes unchecked would become a bad precedence going forward.
“There is, therefore, the need to promptly check this illegality by insisting that the right procedures for winding down a statutory agency like NFVCB be followed”, he stressed .
Most of the Senators across geo-ethnic cum political divide, who independently contributed to the motion, supported it and voted for adoption of its prayers.