Oronsaye report: Senate calls on FG to suspend abolition of video censorship authority

The Senate has asked George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), and Hannatu Musa-Musawa, Minister of Arts and Culture, to suspend the abolition of the National Film and Video Censorship Board (NFVCB).

The upper house of parliament stated that if the abolition of a government agency was necessary, a bill must first be introduced by the executive.

The resolutions followed a motion on Tuesday by Mohammed Ogoshi, Senator for Nasarawa South.

The government of President Bola Tinubu had announced that it would act in accordance with the recommendations of the Oronsaye report.

The report proposed reducing 263 of the statutory agencies to 161, abolishing 38 agencies, merging 52 and converting 14 into departments of different ministries.

In justifying his request, Ogoshi said he was aware of a memo indicating that the minister had already started the process of dissolving the NFVCB.

“The order contravenes the National Film and Video Censors Board Act Cap No. 40 of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (as amended),” the senator said.

“The process of winding up a government agency created by an Act of Parliament should first begin with the repeal of the Act by which the said agency was created.

“The Oronsaye report is a committee report and should not override an Act of Parliament.

“If this abuse of the rule of law goes unpunished, it could set a bad precedent for the future.”

“There is therefore a need to immediately put a stop to this illegality by insisting that the proper procedures for winding up a statutory agency such as the NFVCB are followed.”

The motion was passed after Senate President Godswill Akpabio put it to a vote by majority vote.