By Aaron Ossai
The House of Representatives Committee on the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) has commended the management of the Commission for its efforts towards establishing an effective operational structure and advancing its mandate of accelerating development across the South-East region.
The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Chris Nkwonta, gave the commendation during an oversight visit to the Commission’s headquarters, where he expressed satisfaction with the progress made by the management and its readiness to deliver on its development objectives.
Nkwonta said the Committee was impressed by the facilities and preparations at the headquarters, describing the progress recorded as a positive indication that the Commission was laying a solid foundation for effective service delivery.
“Our job basically here is to provide oversight on the activities of the South-East Development Commission. That is why we are here. Today, we had a meeting before coming here, and I can tell you that what we have seen here is very, very impressive,” he said.
The lawmaker particularly commended the Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, for providing the building for the Commission’s operations at no cost, describing the gesture as commendable and a significant contribution to the development of the South-East.
According to him, the arrangement would reduce the Commission’s operational burden and enable it to concentrate its resources on delivering its core mandate.
Nkwonta disclosed that the management had informed the Committee that renovation and preparatory work at the facility would be completed within the next two weeks, with staff expected to resume normal operations at the headquarters by the end of November or, at the latest, the second week of December.
“I have asked the MD, and he has confirmed that the building has been provided rent-free. All they need to do is make it ready for use. I have also been told that the work will be completed in the next two weeks, and that, at the latest, by the end of November or the second week of December, staff of the Commission will resume normal operations here,” he said.
The Committee Chairman described the establishment of the SEDC as a significant milestone in the long-standing quest to address the developmental challenges confronting the South-East, noting that the Commission provides a dedicated institutional framework for driving development in the region.
He said the Commission represented an important opportunity to translate longstanding expectations into tangible development outcomes through deliberate planning, effective implementation and sustained institutional support.
Nkwonta expressed optimism about the Commission’s prospects, saying the progress made so far had strengthened his confidence in its ability to fulfil its mandate.
“For the very first time since the end of the war, a commission has been established specifically to drive the development of the South-East. There are other development agencies, but this Commission is particularly important to those of us from the region.
“Having seen what they have done so far and the way they have started, I believe that better days are ahead,” he said.
Responding, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the SEDC, Chief Mark Okoye, thanked the Committee Chairman and members for the oversight visit, describing parliamentary engagement as critical to the Commission’s effectiveness and accountability.
Okoye explained that the headquarters would accommodate the Commission’s departments and staff, providing a centralised and conducive environment for strategic planning, coordination and implementation of development programmes.
He said the facility was designed to support the intensive work required to address the region’s development challenges, stressing that the scale of the task demanded a dedicated team, an enabling work environment and sustained institutional commitment.
“What we have here is the head office of the SEDC, and we have all the departments and staff that will work from here. The idea is to make it conducive for what we call deep work, because we will be working from here for long hours, on weekdays and weekends.
“The development challenges in the South-East are enormous, and they require people and an environment where we can truly come together, plan for the region, prepare for the region and execute,” he said.
The SEDC chief executive disclosed that the Commission had undertaken several activities over the past 18 months in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, despite operating from temporary and relatively small office facilities in Enugu.
He said bringing staff and departments together under one roof would provide the necessary institutional boost to accelerate the implementation of the Commission’s strategic roadmap and development agenda for the region.
“We have done quite a number of things over the last 18 months in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President, but we have been doing so through temporary structures and smaller offices in Enugu.
“Having everybody under one roof will give us the much-needed boost to move forward with fortitude and achieve the strategic roadmap and development agenda of the region, backed by our critical stakeholders,” Okoye stated.
The Managing Director also underscored the importance of the Committee’s sustained engagement with the Commission, describing parliamentary oversight and periodic briefings as essential mechanisms for monitoring progress, strengthening accountability and ensuring that development plans reflect the needs of the people.
He noted that the visit was the Committee’s first formal oversight engagement with the Commission, following several quarterly briefing sessions during which the management presented updates on its activities and received feedback from lawmakers.
According to him, the Committee’s contributions have helped the Commission assess its performance against its plans while incorporating the concerns and priorities of constituencies across the South-East into its development strategy.
“One thing I would like to stress is the importance of the parliamentary support we receive from the House Committee. This must be about the sixth time we have met. This is our first oversight meeting, but we have had over five or six quarterly briefing sessions.
“At every point, the Committee tracks how we are performing in comparison with the plan we presented last year. The valuable input and feedback we continue to receive have been very helpful,” he said.
Okoye added that the lawmakers’ representation of constituencies across the South-East made their feedback particularly important to the Commission’s planning and implementation process.
He commended Nkwonta and members of the Committee for their continued support, expressing confidence that sustained collaboration between the Commission, the National Assembly and other critical stakeholders would strengthen efforts to tackle the region’s developmental challenges.
