Bills to establish South-East and South-West Development Commission scales first reading

Bills seeking to establish the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) and South-West Development Commission (SWDC) have scaled their first reading in the Nigerian Senate.

The bills to create the SEDC and SWDC were sponspored by Senator Stella Oduah (PDP, Anambra North) and Senator Ibikunle Amosun respectively.

It was further gathered that the SEDC bill which also seeks the establishment of a governing board for the commission which shall include one person from other geopolitical zones in the country, was passed by the Eight Senate but failed to receive presidential assent.

Clause 15 (2a) of each of the bills stipulates that the equivalent of 10 percent of the total monthly statutory allocation due to the member states of the commission shall be from the federation account.