On Thursday, the Senate successfully passed a significant bill aimed at establishing the South-east Development Commission (SEDC).
Senate President Godswill Akpabio made the announcement during the plenary session, following the bill’s third reading and strong support from the majority of senators.
The bill will now be forwarded to President Bola Tinubu for his assent, after which it will become an Act of Parliament. It’s worth noting that the House of Representatives had passed the bill in December 2023.
The primary objective of the bill is to create a commission dedicated to managing infrastructural development, including the construction and restoration of roads, housing, and other vital infrastructure in the South-eastern region. Additionally, the commission will address ecological challenges and other related environmental and developmental issues in the area.
Funding for infrastructural projects in the South-east will be sourced from the allocation of the Federation Account, which the commission will oversee and manage.
Background: The call for the establishment of such a commission has been ongoing for several years. Although the bill had been passed by members of the 8th Senate, former President Muhammadu Buhari did not assent to it.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, along with other lawmakers from the South-east, reintroduced the bill in the lower chamber last year.
Following its passage by the House in December, the bill was forwarded to the Senate for concurrence.
In his remarks, Senate President Akpabio emphasized that the bill’s enactment will address the aspirations and concerns of the people of the South-east region.