The Senate Committee on the South-East Development Commission (SEDC) has reiterated that the commission must operate from the South-East rather than Abuja, stressing that its presence must be felt across the region.
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, chairman of the committee and representative of Abia North, gave the directive on Monday during an oversight visit to the commission’s projects in Enugu State.
Kalu expressed satisfaction with the progress made on the commission’s headquarters, noting that the situation had improved since the committee’s previous engagements with its management.
During the visit, lawmakers inspected the commission’s current office and another building provided by the Enugu State Government, which is being completed for the agency’s use.
Kalu said the progress had addressed earlier concerns about the commission operating from Abuja instead of Enugu.
“The only problem that I said before, and I repeat, is that they cannot operate from Abuja. They must operate from where they are set up. This is where they are located,” he said.
The senator urged the commission’s management to sustain the pace of work and extend its activities beyond administrative offices to communities across the five South-East states.
He said the committee was encouraged by the improvements observed during the inspection but stressed that the commission must demonstrate its impact through projects and interventions that directly benefit residents.
Kalu also disclosed that the committee would return to Enugu in December to assess further progress.
The SEDC, established to promote development across Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states, is expected to address regional infrastructure and other development challenges.
Kalu acknowledged that the commission was still relatively new but urged its management to remain focused on delivering its mandate and ensuring that its activities reach people at the grassroots
