From Fred Itua, Abuja

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The South East, predominantly made of Igbo ethnic group, has been in the news since President Muhammadu Buhari came into office in May, 2015. From cries about alleged marginalisation by Buhari-led Federal Government, to the recent uprising occasioned by activities of members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the South East has not known ‘peace’ since May 2015.
Leaders of thought from the zone have also decried the poor state of infrastructural development, since the end of the Civil War in 1970. Those who make this argument often remind onlookers that the south east is the least-developed area in terms of Federal presence.
At the peak of these misgivings, lawmakers from the area earlier in the year drafted a bill for the establishment of a development commission that would act as a catalyst to develop the geopolitical zone. While the bill was rejected in the House of Representatives, it luckily scaled second reading on the floor of the senate. The bill is known as South East Development Commission (SEDC).
Checks by Daily Sun revealed that the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service has concluded plans to conduct a public hearing on the bill this week, where stakeholders are expected to make their inputs which would enhance the proposal.
The bill which is co-sponsored by the chairman, Senate Committee on Cooperation and Integration, Stella Oduah who represents Anambra North and her counterpart in Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions Committee, Samuel Anyanwu, is now ready for to face a proper public scrutiny.
When passed and signed into law, the Commission is expected to provide a roadmap for development of roads, education, health facilities, industrialisation, agriculture, housing and urban development, water supply, electricity and commerce in the five member states of Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi and Abia.
In the same vein, the Commission will provide policies and guidelines for the development of the South East, conception of plans for development in accordance with set rule as well as produce regulations, programmes and projects for sustainable development of the region.
It is also expected to provide master plans for reduction of unemployment while also providing master plans and schemes to promote the physical development of South East.
Other functions of the Commission include: tackling ecological and environmental problems that arise from soil erosion problems and other related environmental challenges in the south-east and advise the federal government and member states on the prevention and control of the erosion and environmental challenges as well as identifying factors inhibiting the development of the south-east and assist member states on the formulation and implementation of policies to ensure sound and efficient management of the resources of the region.
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 proposal, a member of the board of the commission shall hold office for four years and could have his appointment renewed for another four years.
According to the proponents of the bill, the Commission when established could be operational for only 10 years, after which the President could propose its dissolution following the approval of the National Assembly.
Section 1(4) of the bill provides the leeway for the Commission to only exist for 10 years after which the President could terminate its operation by seeking 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.”
In her lead debate, Oduah submitted that the bill seeks to address the infrastructural deficit of the South East and act as a catalyst to develop the commercial potentials of the region.
“The South-East as a region has contributed immensely to the overall development know-how and other areas of endeavor yet the federal government is not doing enough for the region. What the region requires now from the rest of the country is support and understanding and this will help to engender a sense of belonging to the Nigerian project.
“The Senate is in the right position to show maturity in the face of the plethora of problems and challenges facing the geopolitical zone. Nigeria has abundant capacity to beam a sympathetic focus to begin to address these issues in a more holistic and systematic manner. The public works projects to be executed by this Commission will engage the youths in a more serious fashion and help to develop needed human capital in both the public and private sectors. This will also curb the cases of kidnapping and other criminal activities that create a security situation not conducive for growth and development. The peaceful co-existence of the Nigerian state will be enhanced with the establishment of this Commission.
“The enactment of this Bill will help to rebuild the South East and provide the opportunity for the people to display their talent and contribute immensely to the development of the country”, Senator Oduah said.
The most contentious aspect of the bill is in the area of funding. Unlike the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the North East Development Commission (NEDC) which are majorly funded through intervention fund by the federal government and international donor agencies, Section 14 (1) (a) of the SEDC bill provides that the Commission will be mainly funded through 15 percent deductions from Federal Allocation to the five member states.
It was reliably gathered that stakeholders from the region are expected to make a strong case for Federal funding of the SEDC, just like the NDDC and NEDC, at the public hearing this week.
Their argument is that with the inability of States in the South East to pay workers salaries as at when due, as a result of dwindling federal allocation, funding of the commission, may run into troubled waters.
Other sources of funding as enshrined in the bill include: “50 percent of monies due to member States of the Commission from the Ecological Fund; such monies as may from time to time be granted or lent to or deposited with the Commission by the Federal or a state Government any other body or institution whether local or foreign.
“All money raised for the purposes of the Commission by way of gifts, loan, grants-in-aid, testamentary disposition or otherwise; and proceeds from all other assets that may from time to time accrue to the Commission.”
Lawmakers from other regions of the country have also thrown their weight behind the bill. For James Manager of Delta State, the commission should focus on construction of deplorable state of roads in the region.
Contributing to a motion seeking to commend President Buhari for signing the North East Development Commission Bill into law, he lamented that all Federal roads in the region have collapsed.
“There is the North East Development Commission Bill that came to this Senate and it received over 85 percent support. I have travelled almost all the south east and all the federal roads are in bad state.