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The Forum of South-East Academic Doctors (FOSAD) has called on the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the South East Development Commission (SEDC), Mr. Mark Okoye, to provide a comprehensive public account of the estimated N16.6 billion reportedly released to the Commission since its inauguration by President Bola Tinubu in February 2025.
In a statement by Dr. Uzor Ngoladi, Secretary General, FOSAD, the organisation called on Mr. Okoye and the entire management of the Commission to immediately provide a detailed breakdown of all funds received and expended since the Commission became operational. The people of the South-East deserve to know how public resources allocated for their development had been utilised.
Transparency is not optional in public service; it is a constitutional and moral obligation. Public confidence can only be restored when public officials willingly subject themselves to scrutiny and provide verifiable evidence that public funds have been deployed for the benefit of the people.
“As an organisation committed to good governance, accountability, transparency, and sustainable development, FOSAD is deeply disturbed by recent developments surrounding the activities of the South East Development Commission, particularly the ongoing scrutiny by the Nigerian Senate over the Commission’s financial expenditures.
“Most disturbing among the allegations is the reported payment of N153 million for the rent of a one-bedroom liaison office in Abuja. Such a revelation, if accurate, raises serious questions about financial prudence, fiscal responsibility and the management of public resources entrusted to the Commission for the development of the South-East geopolitical zone.
“The South East Development Commission was established to address decades of infrastructural neglect, stimulate economic growth, rebuild communities and accelerate development across the five South-East states. The expectations of millions of people in the region were understandably high following the establishment of the Commission. Unfortunately, more than a year after its inauguration, the region is yet to witness commensurate developmental projects that justify the huge financial allocations reportedly made to the Commission.
“FOSAD considers the current controversy an embarrassment to the South-East geopolitical zone and an unfortunate distraction from the noble objectives for which the Commission was created. At a time when Nigerians are demanding greater accountability from public institutions, it is imperative that the leadership of the SEDC demonstrates the highest standards of integrity and openness.
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“FOSAD further insists that this matter must not be swept under the carpet. Nigeria cannot successfully wage the war against corruption while overlooking allegations of financial impropriety in institutions established to promote development. Accountability must not be selective.
“Furthermore, FOSAD calls on the Governors of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states, as principal stakeholders in the South East Development Commission, to intervene by demanding a transparent, independent and comprehensive inquiry into the financial activities of the Commission.
“The National Assembly, anti-corruption agencies, civil society organisations and development partners should equally ensure that due process is followed and that investigation is conducted without fear or favour.
“The South-East cannot afford another institution that fails to deliver on its mandate. The region urgently needs quality roads, modern healthcare facilities, educational infrastructure, industrial development, youth empowerment programmes, agricultural investments and employment opportunities, not financial controversies that erode public trust.
“FOSAD remains committed to promoting accountability, evidence-based governance and responsible leadership. We shall continue to monitor developments at the South East Development Commission and speak out whenever the public interest demands it.
“The people of the South-East deserve transparency. They deserve development. Above all, they deserve leaders, who recognise that public office is a sacred trust,” the statement said.
