With the passage of the Southeast Development Commission Bill by the Senate yesterday, the region is getting closer to having an engine to drive its growth.

Excited by the development, the Southeast Senate Caucus lauded the passage of the bill.

The Bill, sponsored by senators Samuel Anyanwu (Imo East) and Stella Oduah (Anambra North), sought the establishment of the commission as an interventionist agency for the Southeast zone.

The passage followed the consideration and adoption of the report of the Committee on Establishment and Public Service on the Bill presented by Senator Emmanuel Paulker (Bayelsa Central).

The Senate said that the commission, when established, would take care of the developmental challenges confronting the southeast states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo.

Part of the funding for the commission, the Senate said, would be one per cent of the ecological funds due to the five states in the zone.

Lauding the passage of the bill, the Southeast Senate Caucus said the establishment of a development commission will enhance Southeast growth.

Caucus Chairman Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe said that there was no doubt that the commission when established would go a long way to address age long developmental challenges.

Abaribe noted that the establishment of the commission would further reintegrate the zone to the developmental plan of the country.

The Abia South Senator was confident that concurrence by members of the House of Representatives would be easily secured due to the primacy of the bill.

He appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the Bill into law when it gets to his table.

Abaribe said that signing the bill into law would enable the Southeast to witness the much-needed developmental progress in the areas of infrastructure.

•Sourced from The Nation report

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