Senate Committee Vows Tough Oversight on South East Development Commission

 

The Senate Committee on the South East Development Commission (SEDC) has cautioned that it will exercise firm oversight over the commission’s activities, with its Chairman, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, declaring that the region’s prolonged challenges demand strict supervision.

Senator Kalu made this known in Abuja yesterday during the SEDC’s 2025 budget performance review and defence of its 2026 budget proposal.
He stressed that the South East has endured significant hardship and that the commission must not be treated lightly or turned into an avenue for mismanagement of public funds.
“The region has suffered for too long. This Commission should not be taken for granted. It should not be seen as a place where public funds are carted away,” Kalu said.
He noted that the commission was established by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to drive development in the region and must therefore be handled with seriousness.
“This commission is one that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu gave us to develop our region; we cannot take it for granted,” he added.
The committee chairman further assured that oversight would be conducted without bias or favoritism.
“We are going to be ruthless in our oversight. We will not be guided by friendship. The economic development of our people is paramount.
“They say you know how to do it, so you should do it. President Tinubu is watching. This committee will not only carry out oversight; we will also support you to deliver prosperity for our people,” he stated.
In his presentation, the Managing Director of the SEDC, Mark Okoye, disclosed that out of the N140 billion approved for the commission’s take-off in 2025, only N5 billion had been released.
He explained that the N5 billion was released in December, about two months ago, and that N957 million has so far been utilised for operations and stakeholder engagements.
Okoye also informed the committee that no member of the management team has received a salary since the commission commenced operations.
According to him, the commission’s activities over the past year have focused on aligning stakeholders’ expectations with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“What we have done in the past year is to merge stakeholders’ expectations with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda vision,” he said.
He added that engagements with over 140 stakeholders provided critical feedback that is shaping the commission’s strategy.
Okoye further revealed that approval had been secured to establish the South East Investment Company, projecting that within eight years, the company should have a balance of $1 billion and grow a $10 billion economy within 10 years.
He also stated that the commission has a proposed N140 billion budget for 2026, with 76 per cent earmarked for capital projects, while the remaining funds will cover overheads, personnel costs, and other recurrent expenditures.