Senate Approves South East Development Commision, SEDC, Bill

ABUJA- THE Senate has approved the South East Development Commission (SEDC) Bill through the adoption of the conference report.

The House of Representatives passed the bill last December and transmitted it to the Senate for concurrence.

The passed Bill seeks to establish the commission to manage infrastructural development such as the construction and rehabilitation of roads, houses, and others in the South-eastern region, just as the agency will also be empowered to tackle the ecological problems and any other related environmental or developmental challenges in the region.

The Commission is expected to receive and manage funds from the allocation of the Federation Account to execute infrastructural projects in the South-East when established.

The adoption was sequel to the consistency of the conference committee report on the Bill presented by the Chairman, Senate Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Mohammed Monguno, APC, Borno North.

The Bill to establish the Commission was passed by members of the 8th Senate but former President Muhammadu Buhari did not assent to it.

The Bill titled: “A bill for an Act to establish the South East Development Commission charged with the responsibility of among other things receiving and managing funds from allocation of the federation account for the construction and rehabilitation of roads, houses and other infrastructural damages suffered by the region as a result of the civil war as well as tackle the ecological problems and any other related environmental or developmental challenges faced by the South-eastern part of Nigeria and for related matters 2024.