Senate approves South East Development Commission

…Anchors funding on 1% Ecological fund The Senate on Wednesday okayed the establishment of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) to cater for myriad of ecological challenges among other teething problems facing the geo-political zone. With the passing of the bill seeking its creation for a third reading at plenary on Wednesday, the envisioned Commission would be in the mode of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and North East Development Commission (NEDC), as intervention agency for development in the South East, particularly in the area of Ecological control. The upper legislative chamber as stipulated in Clause 15(2b) of the bill, anchored funding of the proposed commission on 1% of Ecological Fund in the country to address the reoccurring ecological problems in the zone. Sponsored by Senator Sam Anyanwu (PDP Imo East) and supported by 14 other senators from the geo-political zone, passage of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) was sequel to consideration of report presented to that effect by Chairman of the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service, Senator Emmanuel Paulker (PDP Bayelsa Central). Interestingly, senators across party lines and the six geo-political zones in their contributions during consideration of the report, threw weights behind the bill and by extension, the proposed commission. Senator Paulker in the presentation of the report, explained that the bill with a total of 30 clauses would serve as operational legal framework for the Commission when established. Though the committee in the report made no specification on duration of existence of the Commission but the Senate at the committee of the whole, amended clause 4 of the bill to give the Commission 10 years of operational existence after establishment. In his contribution, the Senate Leader in particular, Senator Ahmed Lawan (APC Yobe North), said the commission when created, will give the South East the required lift to the next level in terms of development. According to him, the bill when eventually concurred to by the House of Representatives, transmitted to the President for assent, would not only be assented to but the Commission created and funded. Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the session, said the action of the Senate in passing the bill, demonstrated that the future is bright for Nigeria. “I salute the Senate for this laudable action which will go a very long way in further uniting Nigerians and facilitating the required development across the different zones of the country “, he said. Elated by the development, Senators from the South East geo – political zone under the aegis of South East Caucus led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe commended their colleagues for the passage of the bill. The Senators at a press briefing after plenary, said machinery was already being put in motion to get the required concurrence on the bill from the House of Representatives for onward transmission to the President for assent. The Commission, according to them, will not only help in addressing the ecological problems in the zone but also facilitate development in the entire five states in the area. Tunde Opalana, Abuja