Senator Orji Uzor Kalu has stressed that the South East Development body (SEDC) must be sited in the region it was established to serve. He said that the body would not be able to successfully carry out its purpose from Abuja.
Kalu, who represents Abia North Senatorial District and chairman Senate Committee on SEDC, disclosed the position on Monday during an oversight visit to the commission’s premises in Enugu State.
The visit was to monitor the progress of the commission’s headquarters and to review its activities.
The former governor of Abia State said he was satisfied with the progress made since the last time the committee met with the commission and described this as a promising development.
But he charged the management to keep up the tempo and ensure that operations of the commission get to the towns in the Southeast.
“We are making very good progress up to now, not like when we started. I’m sure you see extremely serious growth, me and my coworkers. Kalu said: “I hope the commission, particularly the management team, will sustain this progress.
He said the committee will return to Enugu in December to see the status of work on the headquarters and activities of the commission.
During the examination, the lawmakers visited two sites: the office now used by the commission and another facility being completed for its use by the Enugu State Government.
Kalu said the facilities were a big improvement from the condition that previously prompted problems between the committee and the commission over its decision to function from Abuja.
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“We’re moving from where we were before and where we are now. We were arguing over our office being in Abuja. Today, we have seen two offices, the one they are staying in and the one they are completing which the governor of Enugu State provided them,” he said.
“The committee is happy with the progress as long as the commission remains focused on delivering development to the people of the region,” he said.
However, he said the establishment of offices in Enugu must convert to a permanent operating presence in the Southeast.
“The only problem that I indicated earlier and I continue, is that they cannot function from Abuja. They have to work from where they are based. “This is where they are located,” he said.
The senator said that the commission’s presence in Enugu has addressed the committee’s earlier reservations on the operating basis.
“We debated before about being in Abuja and not being in Enugu. “So that dispute is over now,” he continued.
Kalu also challenged the management to take its actions to the grassroots, saying the commission must show impact beyond administrative procedures and office accommodation.
The SEDC was less than a year old but its administration had to remain committed to the responsibilities for which it was created, he said.
The senator expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved during the visit, but stressed the necessity for ongoing efforts for genuine development across the Southeast.
The Senate Committee is set to come back to Enugu in December for re-inspection of the headquarters project and examination of the commission’s operations.
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