The recent signing into law the bill establishing the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) by President Bola Tinubu is a commendable move to address many years of neglect of the region by subsequent federal administrations since the end of the Nigerian civil war in 1970. The establishment of the SEDC is a significant step towards healing the wounds of the civil war and addressing the region’s special needs.
It is hoped that the SEDC will accelerate the socio-economic development of the highly marginalised region and lay the foundation for its infrastructural development. We urge the five governors of the zone to work in tandem with the SEDC to give the zone a new development paradigm.
The move to establish the SEDC has been long in coming, having been introduced in the previous National Assembly by some lawmakers from the South-East and other zones. Although it did not pull through during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, it succeeded under the current dispensation of President Bola Tinubu. The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, led the movement alongside other legislators from the South East and other zones. The signing of the SEDC bill into law by the President is a step in the right direction.
When it is inaugurated, the SEDC will specifically address the socio-economic challenges facing Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Abia and Ebonyi states. The commission will use the allotted funds from federal allocation to address infrastructural challenges of the region ostensibly caused by the Nigerian civil war of 1967-1970. The commission will also tackle the ecological problems and any other related environmental or developmental shortfalls in the South-East region.
Primarily, the SEDC will provide essential infrastructural facilities such as roads, bridges, healthcare facilities, and educational institutions. It will also stimulate economic activities in the South-East region by addressing past neglect and disparities. The commission will equally improve the quality of life of the citizens of the zone through enhanced social amenities and healthcare services.
The SEDC came after the establishment of the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). It was established alongside the North-West Development Commission (NWDC). It is expected that the SEDC will start where the federal government’s post-civil war Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Rehabilitation (3Rs) stopped. The famed 3Rs was established by the then Nigerian military leader, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), to address the ugly effects of the Nigerian civil war in the South-East region. Unfortunately, it failed to address the challenges as the rehabilitation programme was poorly implemented.
No doubt, the South-East region has been structurally, economically and politically marginalised since 1970 when the war ended. Being the only zone with five states, while the rest have six each and one zone has seven states, the South-East quota in admission to federal government colleges, universities and other tertiary institutions, military institutions and the federal civil service has been greatly reduced by the absence of one additional state. The structural imbalance in state creation is also reflected in the creation of 774 local governments with the zone having the least in the country. This has equally affected federal allocation to the region.
It is sad that 54 years after the Nigerian civil war, the South-East still bears the scars of the war fought to cement our unity and oneness. Even in the nation’s politics, the South-East has been seemingly excluded from the central seat of power since 1999. While the North and the South-West regions have dominated the presidency since after the war, the South-East has been left out of the power equation. There is need to address these imbalances.
The coming of the SEDC is therefore auspicious. We commend the President for assenting to the bill creating the body. It is good that the South-East governors, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and other stakeholders have lauded him for this great decision. We salute the South-East lawmakers and their colleagues from other zones for their contributions to the establishment of the SEDC. We believe that the commission will bring development to the South-East and also address the insecurity in the region.
Therefore, we urge those to be saddled with the management of the SEDC to discharge their duties with utmost sincerity and patriotism. If the SEDC is judiciously managed, it will quicken the developmental pace of the region in practically all sectors.