NIGERIA’S senate has debated a bill seeking to establish a South East Development Commission (SEDC) which hopes to create a body similar to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in Igboland.
During the last National Assembly the bill, which scaled first reading on the floor, was passed by the Eight Senate but failed to receive presidential assent. This week, however, the bill sponsored by Senator Stella Oduah (PDP, Anambra North) has been presented to the senate, with the hope of re-introducing the agency.
This bill also seeks the establishment of a governing board for the commission which shall include one person for the other geo-political zones in the country. Clause 15 (2a) of the bill which identifies the source of funding for the commission, stipulates that the equivalent of 10% of the total monthly statutory allocation due to the member states of the commission shall come be from the federation account.
On Wednesday, the senate also considered two bills seeking to establish the Modibo Adama University, Yola and Federal Polytechnic Aba, respectively. Senator Aishatu Dahiru (Adamawa Central), said the Modibo Adama University was established in 1981 as a Federal University of Technology.
According to the lawmaker, the university’s inherent statutory limitation exposed it to a lot of disadvantages, making it impossible to meet the needs of its historic state. Senator Dahiru lamented that the limitation adversely affected female students’ demography.
