From Kenneth Udeh, Abuja
The Senate has given its final assent for the establishment of the South East Development Commission , SEDC aimed at addressing infrastructure deficits in the South-East and alleviating the hardships in the region caused by civil war between 1967 to 1970.
After considering the SEDC bill on Thursday the Senate granted third reading to the proposed act after the Lawmakers received and deliberated the report of the bill and amended some of its clauses
The bill’s report also designed to address the long marginalisation of the South-easterners stated that the commission will be charged with the responsibility among other things to receive and manage fund 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 as well as tackle the ecological problems and any other related environmental or development challenges in the South-East states and for other related matters.
Shortly after the Senate passed the bill , President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio who Presided expressed optimism that the bill when finally signed into law by President Tinubu will bring and end to myriad of agitations in the South-East and give a sense of belonging to the people of the region.
He said ;”With the passage of this Bill today means that the South-East is no longer marginalised, it shows the love that this 10th Senate has for the South-East. I pray that when we harmonise everything and it is passed into an act of Parliament that will address all the fears and challenges of the region. Congratulations to the South-East !
Before the bill was passed, one out of its 31 clauses was amended , according to the Senators clause 2 ( c ) should read that “six persons to represent the following security organisations”, instead of 3 as stated in the bill.
The Senate absolved the House Representatives from the powers of confirmation after it amended Clause 2 (2) which earlier read that the “Chairman and other members of the board shall be appointed by the President subject to the confirmation by the Senate in consultation with the House of Representatives and person of proven integrity and ability”.
The Senate amended clause 2(2) to now read as ” The Chairman, the MD and three executive directors of the board shall be appointed by the President, subject to the confirmation of the Senate”.
Clause 2(h) was also amended by the Lawmakers to increase the Executive Board directors to three against two as previously stated in the bill. The Lawmakers also designated offices to the three Executive Board members to consist of Executive Directors of Finance, Projects and Corporate services.
Other highlights in the clauses of the bill include clause 2 which provides for the establishment of the Governing Board which shall consist of a chairman, one person who shall be an indigene to represent the following member states, that is Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo and six persons to represent security organizations.
As stated in clause 9 powers of the board shall be to; manage and superintend the affairs of the Commission; make rules and regulations for carrying out the functions of the Commission; enter and inspect premises, projects and such places as may be necessary for the purposes of carrying out its functions under this Bill; pay the staff of the Commission such remuneration and allowances as are payable to persons of equivalent grades in the civil service of the Federation; enter into such contracts as may be necessary or expedient for the discharge of its functions and ensure the efficient performance of the functions of the Commission; employ either directly or on secondment from any civil or public service in the Federation or a State such number of employees as may in the opinion of the Board, be required to assist the Board in the discharge of any of its functions under this Bill; pay to persons so employed such remuneration, including allowances, as the Board may determine; and do such other things as are necessary and expedient for the efficient performance of the functions of the commission.
After the Senate considered the 31 clauses of the provisions of the bill , Senate President Akpabio subjected the clauses to voice vote in which the Senators voted in favour of the passage of the each of the amended clauses and the passage of the Bill.