Nigeria’s South East zone is set for a new phase of development. This follows the approval of the N250 billion budget for the South East Development Commission (SEDC).
The House Committee on SEDC approved the 2025 budget on Monday after the budget defence by the commission’s management.
With the budget, various stakeholders expect improvement in infrastructures for the area. This includes roads, bridges, railways, as well as security and human capital development.
The House of Representatives Committee Chairman on South East Development Commission (SEDC), Chris Nkwonta, is optimistic that the budget approval and its implementation will enable the area to experience government presence like never before.
Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, in July 2024, signed into law the South-East Development Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2023. That was intended to fast-track development in the geopolitical zone.
This includes “reconstruction and rehabilitation of roads, houses, and other infrastructural damages suffered by the zone, as well as tackle ecological problems, and other related environmental or developmental challenges in South-East states.”, the State House press release said.
SEDC Budget: Nkwonta Confident About Infrastructure Growth and Reduced Unrest
House of Representatives Committee Chairman on SEDC, Chris Nkwonta, acknowledged President Tinubu’s role in establishing the commission.
“We are grateful to the President that after six military heads of state and five democratically elected Presidents, attention has been given to the South East.
“This budget is essentially going to target those areas where there is deficit in infrastructure, erosion and other areas of human capital development.
“The Commission will be expected to build roads, bridges, railway and manpower development.
“The commission also expect money to come in from federal allocation. I am told that money is also expected to come from the five southeastern states, from ecological funds coming into the country and from oil companies operating in the South East.
“Even though this is not enough, we need to start from somewhere.” Representative Nkwonta told journalists.
He envisions unrest in the area declining with the attention it now receives.
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a step. Even those boys that are causing trouble, when they see that the region is now being taken care of, what they are doing now will not continue.
“If you want to develop the South East, there has to be leave. If there is no peace and Security, there is nothing we can do.
“Some of the items in the budget is aimed at addressing insecurity, unemployment, and youth development”.
The House Committee Chairman on SEDC believes the commission’s projects will help end agitations and youth unrest in the area.
Many anti-corruption organizations, however, continue to emphasize the critical need for transparency and accountability in budget allocation and project execution. This ensures effective resource utilization. It also drives development across communities, states, geopolitical zones, and the nation.