South West Development Commission Scales Hurdle As Senate Passes Bill

By Ayodele Oni

As it did to other zonal development driven interventions, the Senate on Thursday approved the establishment of the South West Development Commission following consideration of a report by its Committee on Special Duties.

Chairman of the committee, Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan (APC Borno Central) presented the South West Development Commission Bill, 2024, after which it was passed for third reading by the Senate during plenary.

Kaka, in his presentation, explained that the intents and purposes of the bill are well structured for the socio-economic development of South West.

“If the Commission is established through presidential assent to the bill, it will, like other development-driven commissions established on zonal basis, receives funds from the Federation Account, donations from development partners etc to address infrastructural deficits and tackle ecological problems in the region.”

The Senate, accordingly moved into committee of the whole for clause by clause consideration of the bill after which it was read for the third time.

In his remarks after the passage of the bill, the Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau, who presided over the session, commended the Kaka-led committee for a job well done.

According to him, the South West Development Commission, like other ones recently established, would address the infrastructural and ecological challenges in the South West.

“The essence of the various development commissions being set up is to fast track development of the entire country.

“President Bola Tinubu has assented to similar bills passed for zonal development-driven interventions and will surely assent to this one.”