This is just the beginning because the SEDC is just a growing concern, and the President has given them this take-off grant.
The South East Development Commission (SEDC) budget for 2025, which is approximately N250 billion, has been approved by the House Committee on South East Development Commission.
The committee expressed optimism that this budget will mark the beginning of the development of the region, which has been ignored for more than 54 years post-civil war.
Following the defense of the budget by the Management of Commission, the Chairman of the Committee, Chuks Ukwanta, expressed his optimism to the media that the adoption of the budget will mark the beginning of positive things in the development of the South East.
During the course of expressing his gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for enacting the SEDC bill into law, he stated that the neglected region of the South East will now see government presence in terms of the construction of infrastructure.
Chuks Ukwanta stated, “You are aware that since after the civil war, the South East has been. What it ought to be. Remember that at the end of the Civil War, there was this promise that was made to us.
“You know the three R’s, and till today, that has not been done until this President signed the bill into law. We are talking about 54 years after the civil war.
“This budget is essentially going to target those areas where there is deficit in infrastructure, erosion and other areas of human capital development.
“The Commission will be expected to build roads, bridges, railways and manpower development.
“Although the money will not be enough, this is just a takeoff grant. This is just the beginning because the SEDC is just a growing concern, and the President has given them this take-off grant.
“The commission also expects money to come in from federal allocation. I am told that money is also expected to come from the five South Eastern states, from ecological funds coming into the country, and from oil companies operating in the South East.
“Even though this is not enough, we need to start from somewhere. But we are grateful to the President that after six military heads of state and five democratically elected Presidents, attention has been given to the South East.
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a step. Even those boys that are causing trouble, when they see that the region is now being taken care of, what they are doing now will not continue.
“If you want to develop the South East, there has to be leave. If there is no peace and security, there is nothing we can do.
“Some of the items in the budget are aimed at addressing insecurity, unemployment and youth development.”
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