The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the passage of the bill during plenary after it was read for the third time and supported by the majority of the senators.
It will be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent before it becomes an Act of parliament. The House of Representatives passed the bill in December 2023.
The bill seeks to establish the commission to manage infrastructural development such as the construction and rehabilitation of roads, houses and other infrastructural damages in the South-eastern region.
The commission will also be empowered to tackle the ecological problems and any other related environmental or developmental challenges in the region.
The commission will receive and manage funds from the allocation of the Federation Account to execute infrastructural projects in the South-east.
Root of the issue
The agitation for the establishment of the commission started many years ago. The bill to establish the commission was passed by members of the 8th Senate but former President Muhammadu Buhari did not assent to it.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, and some other lawmakers from the South-east reintroduced the bill in the lower chamber last year.
The House passed the bill last December and transmitted it to the Senate for concurrence.
In his remarks, Mr Akpabio said the bill will address the fears and concerns of the people of the South-east.
“A bill for an Act to establish the South East Development Commission charged with the responsibility of among other things receiving and managing funds from allocation of the federation account for the construction and rehabilitation of roads, houses and other infrastructural damages suffered by the region as a result of the civil war as well as tackle the ecological problems and any other related environmental or developmental challenges faced by the South-eastern part of Nigeria and for related matters 2024. The bill was read the third time and passed” the senate president said.
Mr Akpabio noted that the bill is very crucial and he thereafter congratulated the South-eastern people.
“This bill is a very important bill that has been passed by this 10th Senate and so I had hit the gavel to underscore the fact that this bill addresses all the fears of our dear brothers and sisters and my inlaws in the South-East states of Nigeria.
“I want to say congratulations to you all and I pray that this commission will bring a lot of development and will also assist you to stop any formal agitation and bring peace to the region” he said.
