Nigerian Senate Oversights SEDC For Operational Readiness
By Ferdinand Olise
The Senate Committee on South East Development Commission has conducted an oversight visit to the Commission, SEDC, in Enugu State to assess its facilities, ongoing preparations and operational readiness.
Briefing the Committee on SEDC activities, the Managing Director of the Commission, Mr Mark Okoye, said the Commission has continued to advance preparatory work on strategic projects aimed at accelerating economic growth and infrastructure development in the region.
Mr. Okoye informed the Lawmakers that the initiatives include planned gas pipeline and railway projects, as well as partnerships with key stakeholders across Federal MDAs, State Governments, Development Partners and Private Sector.
He also informed the Lawmakers of the Commission’s engagements to promote coordinated regional development,as well as the South East Vision 2050 stakeholder consultations as a major milestone, noting that
the implementation of the South East Venture Capital Programme, under which 25 startups from the five South-East states received equity investments through a competitive selection process aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and innovation.
According to him, the initiative brought together government officials, business leaders, academics, development partners and civil society groups to formulate a long-term development blueprint for the region.
Meanwhile, at the SEDC temporary Headquarters, the Committee inspected the existing office spaces and operational facilities to assess their adequacy in supporting the Commission’s administrative activities.
Also, at the new Headquarters, the lawmakers examined the office premises, furnishing, information and communications technology infrastructure, as well as the overall readiness of the facility to support the Commission’s operations.
The visit is expected to provide the Committee with first-hand information on the Commission’s current operational capacity and infrastructure needs as it works towards fulfilling its development objectives across the South-East region.
The inspections formed part of the Committee’s oversight responsibilities to evaluate the Commission’s facilities, monitor the implementation of its mandate and ensure accountability in the use of public resources.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on the South-East Development Commission, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, expressed satisfaction with the progress made on the Commission’s Headquarters in Enugu, commending the management for improvements recorded since the Committee’s previous engagements.
He urged the management to sustain the progress recorded ahead of another oversight visit scheduled for December.
He also urged the Commission to ensure that its projects and interventions extend beyond its Headquarters to communities across the five States, stressing the need to achieve tangible results at the grassroots.
The South-East Development Commission was established to promote development, address infrastructural needs, regional transformation across Abia, Anambar, Ebonyi Enugu, and Imo States, and other developmental challenges across the South East region.
