Senate urges Nigerian government to delay closure of National Film Board

The Senate on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to postpone the dissolution of the National Film and Video Census Board (NFVCB).

This follows the adoption of a proposal titled: “Urgent Need to Stop NFVCB Abuses,” sponsored by Senator Ogoshi Onawo during a plenary session in Abuja.

Onawo in his presentation expressed concern over the directive of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, to immediately disband the body.

Several weeks ago, Akume directed the Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, to immediately disband the NFVCB.

The directive was aimed at integrating the NFVCB as a department within the ministry, but ignored the legal process required to repeal the law that created the agency.

At the plenary session, the lawmakers expressed concern that the SGF directive violated the National Film and Video Censors Board Act Cap No.40 of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 (as amended).

He condemned the directive to the ministry to complete the administrative and financial processes to dissolve the NFVCB within three weeks with effect from June 21.

According to Onawo, the process of dissolving a government institution that comes into effect through a law must first begin with the revocation of the law that established the institution.

He said: “The Oronsaye Report is a committee report that should not override an Act of Parliament.

“This problem of legal abuse, if not resolved immediately, will set a bad precedent in the future.

“There is a need to check this violation of the law by insisting that proper procedures for dissolving a legal entity must be followed.”

In his contribution, Senate Appropriations Committee chairman Solomon Adeola called for adherence to the rule of law in the matter.

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“There will be no law if those institutions are dissolved. What needs to be done is to repeal the law,” he said.

In a statement, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said disbanding the NFVCB would be a violation of the Act of Parliament.

He added that the National Assembly was unaware of the implementation of the Oronsaye report.

Akpabio said: “If the President wants to implement the Oronsaye report, due process must be followed.

“This means that all existing laws must be brought to the DPR for further consideration.”

According to him, the new President can continue the implementation if he gets the approval of the DPR.

“You can only start implementing it when parliament approves it,” he said.

The Senate then urged the SGF and ministers to postpone the dissolution of the NFVCB.

Senate urges Nigerian govt to delay closure of National Film Board first appeared on Latest Nigeria News | Headlines from Ripples Nigeria.