Last week, the social media went gaga, following the rejection of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) bill by the House of Representatives, spearheaded by its Speaker, Yakubu Dogara.
Reprieve came when Bukola Saraki’s Senate shocked even the sponsors of the same bill by allowing it scale second reading. Like the speed of light, the news went viral. At least, Igbo had something to cheer about.
But for folks who are not privy to the contents of the bill, sorry to burst your bubbles. The celebrated bill is a big fraud. It does not and will not meet the yearning of the people of South East. Before you judge me, let me take you through the long walk.
According to the bill, when established, SEDC will be operated for a period of ten years. The commission can however cease to operate after ten years following a proposal to that effect by the President and endorsed by the National Assembly.
The bill is titled “An Act to Establish the South East Development Commission in the Federal Republic of Nigeria to act as catalyst to develop the commercial potentials of the South East and other connected matters”.
Section 1(4) of the bill however introduced another dimension, which provides the leeway for the commission to only exist for ten years after which the President can wind it up following the approval of the National Assembly.
The section reads: “The President may subject to the approval of the National Assembly, wind-up the commission after 10 years.”
The bill also indicates that the management board of the commission shall consist of the chairman and one representative each from Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states as well as representatives of Federal Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Justice.
According to the bill, a member of the board of the commission shall hold office for four years and can have his appointment renewed for another four years. Some of the functions highlighted for the commission include release of policies and guidelines for the development of the South East as well as the conception of plans for development in accordance with set rules, while also producing regulations programmes and projects for the sustainable development of the South East.
The commission is also expected to provide roadmaps for development of roads, education, health facilities, industrialization, agriculture, housing and urban development, water supply, electricity and commerce in the area.
It’s also expected to provide master plans for reduction of unemployment while also providing master plans and schemes to promote the physical development of the South East.
It would estimate the cost of implementing such master plans and schemes, while implementing all the approved measures for development.
In theory, the bill looks attractive from the foregoing. In reality, SEDC is a bad deal for the South East geopolitical zone. Lawmakers from both chambers of the National Assembly, wanted to score cheap political points when they muted the idea. They had hoped that it would not be passed so they can ride on the sentiments to score cheap political points.
All they wanted to do was to pass a message and falsely claim to represent the interest of folks from the South East. Before you term me as an anti-Igbo fool, let me break it down for you.
SEDC is a child of necessity. It was birthed to respond to the growing agitation in the South East. Lawmakers from the region had thought that by sponsoring the bill, which on the surface, shares a semblance with the North East Development Commission, their constituents would be appeased.
So, they hurriedly put together a bad deal for Ndigbo. In Nigeria, leaders, especially those from the southern part, play politics with everything. They are capitalists at heart, but pretend to care about the welfare of their people.
They seldom think about impacting positively on their people. For them, it’s about winning the next election. Whenever any opportunity pops up, they jump at it and further their political interest. In their worldview, politics is a business.
Sorry for the digression. Now, let us compare notes. When the National Assembly passed the North East Development Commission bill last year, it resolved to set aside 3 per cent of the Federal Value Added Taxes (VATs) for the development of ravaged northeastern part of the country.
What it means is that, VATs collected from beer-drinking folks in the south will be used to service Sharia-compliant states in the North East where the sale and consumption of alcohol is haram.
Ironically too, the ad hoc committee which recommended that 3 per cent be set aside for the North East commission, was headed by Senator Sam Egwu from Ebonyi State, south eastern Nigeria. Rightly or wrongly, it’s a good deal for the North East. It took their lawmakers months of strategy and thorough planning to come up with such a master plan. They did not resort to blackmail. They lobbied their counterparts from other geopolitical zones. Leaders from their region held series of press conferences and made a strong case. But for SEDC, it’s a far cry from what will truly solve the myriads of problems bedeviling the region. Unlike the North East Development Commission, which will get 3 per cent from VAT, the SEDC will be funded through 15 per cent deductions from allocations to South East states.
For a state like Imo, which has a notorious reputation for non-payment of salaries, I doubt if Governor Rochas Okorocha will give up 15 per cent every month.
Egwu, who played a key role in securing a good deal for the North East, lost his voice when South East senators met to put final touches to the bill. The popular saying that charity begins at home, lost its bearing when it was time to put Igbo first.
That is not all. Northern senators who openly supported the bill, did so for a good reason. They merely supported the bill, because of the ridiculous clause that the commission, when set up, will not be funded by the Federal Government. South-east senators, in conjunction with their colleagues in the House of Representatives, are coming up with an after thought. They are hoping that during the public hearing, a strong case will be made that the commission should enjoy the same benefits as the North East commission.
This expectation may likely meet a cull de sac. South east senators may stand-alone and get their fingers burnt. Unless there is a last-minute attempt to salvage the situation, SEDC bill will not be passed.
If northern senators and their counterparts from the South West do not support any argument that the commission should be funded through a special arrangement, beside what the original bill recommends, it will fail.
Should South East senators opt for what is currently contained in the bill and get it passed, the commission will run into troubled waters. The five state governors of the South East will conduct the funeral and bury SEDC. Lawmakers will also run into troubled waters and start a war they cannot win with their state governors.
I support the passage of SEDC but in all honesty, I cannot look the other way and allow lawmakers get away with murder. I urge south easterners to puts sentiments aside and face the bad deal their lawmakers have negotiated for them. Think about it.
One more thing
Last Friday, the Eighth Senate celebrated its 2nd anniversary. The upper chamber was inaugurated on the 9th of June 2015. The leadership of the Senate is always in a hurry to showcase its achievements in the last two years.
Bills and motions have been passed. Special interventions have been made. The leadership of the National Assembly has also released details of its budget. At least, there is something to celebrate.
The Senate, in the last two years, has had its fair share of misfortunes. It has been flogged and ridiculed by the presidency. The ridicule has reached a point that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) no longer honour resolutions passed by the Senate.
Within the last two years, business has been bad for senators. They are weeping, but too proud to openly shed tears. Campaign loans have not been repaid. Senators have abandoned their constituencies. They have withdrawn their children from expensive universities abroad. More interestingly, Treasury Single Account (TSA) has made nonsense of parliamentary business. Oversight visits are no longer cash cows.
The last two years have been a mix of good, bad and ugly experiences for lawmakers.
The next two years maybe the turning point. Heads of MDAs may start playing ball and lawmakers may smile again. For now, it’s a season of lamentations. Happy anniversary distinguished senators.