House Of Reps okays bill for the establishment of South East Development Commission

The House of Representatives has passed through the third reading of the bill seeking to establish the South East Development Commission, fifty-three years after the Nigerian Civil War.  

Nairametrics learnt of this development from a statement by the deputy speaker of the House, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, that can be seen on the official X handle of the deputy speaker.  

The House unanimously voted on the bill to scale through the third reading at the Committee of the Whole chaired by Deputy Speaker Kalu. 

• “I am delighted that the House of Representatives successfully passed the bill for the establishment of the South East Development Commission after fifty-three long years, today,” Kalu said.

The deputy speaker stated that the South East Development Commission, when established will be responsible for receiving and managing funds from allocation of the Federation Account for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of roads, houses and other infrastructural damages suffered by the region as a result of the effect of the civil war.  

Furthermore, the explanatory memorandum of the bill stated that the Commission will also tackle the ecological problems and any other related environmental or developmental challenges in the Southeast States which include Abia, Imo, Enugu, Anambra and Ebonyi.  

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Hon. Kalu further stated that the passage of the bill at the House came at a time when there is a push for the Peace in South East Project initiative that is intended to resolve socio-economic challenges of the South East region.   

• “Incidentally, the passage of this bill comes at a time when the initiative of Peace in South East Project a non-kinetic approach to resolving the socio-economic and sociological challenges is being pursued,” he noted.

The deputy speaker also pointed out that the enactment of the bill seeking to establish the South East Development Commission will pave the way for prosperity and vitality in the southeastern part of the country.  

• “The enactment of this bill will instil hope and a sense of belonging among the people of the Southeast, paving the way for a new era marked by prosperity and vitality in the region,” Kalu added.