The
Sokoto State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Barr. Nasiru
Mohammed Binji, has explained the reasons behind recent amendments to certain
laws by the State House of Assembly, which were subsequently approved by
Governor Dr. Ahmed Aliyu.
In
an exclusive interview with journalists in Sokoto, Binji stated that the
amendments were necessary to ensure the effective functioning of agencies
created by previous administrations. According to him, some establishments were
initially set up as commissions instead of agencies, which affected their
performance and oversight.
Highlighting
key amendments, he cited the **Discrimination Against Persons with Disability
Commission Law, the Zakat and Endowment Commission Law, and the Tenancy Control
and Safety of Persons Commission Law.** These laws, he noted, had mistakenly
classified the entities as commissions, making them independent and autonomous
without supervision from any ministry.
“The
law created a problem for them. Being commissions, they were independent and
not under the supervision of any ministry, which affected their efficiency,” he
explained.
To
address this, Binji said the laws were amended to properly designate the
establishments as **government agencies under the supervision of relevant
ministries** for improved accountability and efficiency.
Citing
**Section 197 of the 1999 Constitution**, he clarified that only three
statutory commissions are recognized in each state: the **State Independent
Electoral Commission, the State Civil Service Commission, and the Judicial
Service Commission.** These commissions are meant to be autonomous due to the
nature of their work.
“You
must agree that the State Independent Electoral Commission must be free from
any ministry’s supervision for it to function impartially and gain the trust of
opposition parties,” he added.
Binji
emphasized that the restructuring was necessary to ensure proper oversight, as
the previous lack of checks and balances allowed some commission heads to act
as sole administrators.
“These
laws, as styled by the former administration, hindered operations. Without
proper oversight, efficiency was compromised. The amendments now place them
under the supervision of relevant ministries, ensuring accountability,” he
concluded.
