A bill seeking for the establishment of the Southeast Development Commission (SEDC) was passed by the Senate yesterday.

SEDC, according to the bill, will receive and manage allocations from the Federation Account for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of roads and houses as well as the provision of other infrastructural damages suffered by the region during the civil war.

Members of the House of Representatives on December 21, 2023, unanimously passed the bill after the third reading and sent it to the Senate for concurrence.

Senators, after a clause-by-clause consideration of the bill by the Committee of the Whole chaired by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, okayed the proposed law.

A part of the bill reads: The commission, when established, shall among other functions, conceive, plan and implement the set rules and regulations, projects and programmes for the sustainable development of the Southeast states in the field of transportation, including roads, health, education, employment, agriculture, industrialisation, housing and urban development, water supply, electricity and telecommunications; cause the Southeast states to be surveyed to ascertain measures which are necessary to promote its physical and socio-economic development.

“Implement all the measures approved for the development of the Southeast states by the Federal Government and the member states of the commission; identify factors inhibiting the development of the Southeast states and assist the member states in the formulation and implementation of policies to ensure sound and efficient management of the resources of the Southeast states; assess and report on any project being funded or carried out in the Southeast states by mineral extracting and mining companies, oil and gas producing companies, and any other company, including non-governmental organisations and ensure that funds released for such projects are properly utilised.

“The commission shall also tackle ecological and environmental problems that arise from the extraction and mining of solid mineral, exploration of oil mineral in the Southeast states and advise the Federal Government and the member states on the prevention and control of oil spillages, gas flaring and environmental pollution; liaise with the various solid mineral extraction and mining companies and oil and gas prospecting and producing companies on all matters of pollution prevention and control; and execute such other works and perform such other functions which in the opinion of the Commission are required for the sustainable development of the Southeast states and its peoples.”

Akpabio noted that once the bill becomes law, it would bring development to the region.

He said: “It’s a very important bill passed by this 10th Senate, this bill addresses all the fears of our brothers and sisters from the Southeast.

“I want to say congratulations. I pray this commission will bring a lot of development to Southeast. It will assist them to stop any form of agitation and bring peace to the region. When harmonised, it will address the fears of the people of the Southeast.”

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu expressed gratitude to the Senate for passing the bill.

Kalu, who sponsored the bill, said its passage came at a time when the Southeast Caucus of the National Assembly is championing an initiative, known as Peace in Southeast Project (PISE-P).

The initiative is a non-political movement that would adopt a non-kinetic approach to resolving the problems in the Southeast.

Kalu said that once the commission is established, its impact would be felt in the region, especially in terms of jobs, businesses and infrastructure.

He expressed optimism that President Tinubu would assent to the bill when transmitted to him.

Kalu said: “I’m grateful to my colleagues in the Senate led by Senator Godswill Akpabio for passing through 3rd reading of the bill seeking the establishment of Southeast Development Commission (SEDC), which I sponsored.

“I am equally grateful to my colleagues in the House who supported and passed the bill recently.

“The commission is very important because when established it will help in the rebuilding of the post-war reconstruction that has not been attended to over 50 years.

With the passage at both chambers, a conference committee will be set up to harmonise differences between the one passed by the House and that of the Senate before it will be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for his assent. (The Nation)

Update news