The House Committee on the South East Development Commission (SEDC) has approved the commission’s N250 billion budget for 2025, expressing confidence that it will mark the beginning of much-needed development in the region, which has faced neglect for over five decades since the civil war.
Committee Chairman, Hon Chris Nkwonta, who spoke after the budget defense, described the approval as a major milestone.
He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for signing the SEDC bill into law, stating that the budget will help address the region’s infrastructural deficits and bring long-awaited federal government presence.
While acknowledging that the funds may not be enough, Nkwonta described the allocation as a takeoff grant, with additional resources expected from federal allocations, state governments, ecological funds, and oil companies. He stressed that the initiative is only the beginning, highlighting that, after six military heads of state and five democratically elected presidents, the South East is finally receiving meaningful attention.
He also linked the region’s underdevelopment to youth restiveness and insecurity, expressing hope that visible progress would help curb agitations.
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