Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, has urged the South East Development Commission (SEDC) to prioritise the development of a regional gas pipeline, railway network and initiatives to accelerate industrialisation in the region.

Also, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu challenged the commission to move beyond establishing offices in Enugu and demonstrate its impact in communities across the region.

Mbah said the proposed infrastructure would boost economic activities, improve connectivity among the five South-East states and strengthen regional integration.

He also urged the National Assembly to ensure adequate funding for the commission, describing it as a strategic platform for addressing the region’s development needs.

The governor made the call yesterday when he received the Senate Committee on the SEDC led by the Chairman, Kalu.

The delegation, which visited the governor on the sidelines of its oversight visit to conduct a first-hand assessment of the SEDC’s projects and programmes, was also accompanied by the Commission’s management, led by its Managing Director, Mark Okoye.

“For us in the South-East, this committee is one of the most important in the National Assembly, given the immense development prospects it holds for our people,” he said.

Although Kalu expressed satisfaction with the progress recorded at the headquarters, he said the commission must sustain its efforts and ensure that people across the South-East feel its presence.

“We also want them to go to the grassroots to show the South-Eastern people that they are on the ground,” Kalu said.

His remarks placed the spotlight on the commission’s next challenge: translating its institutional presence into tangible development for communities across the region.

Kalu said the progress recorded had addressed his earlier objection to the commission operating from Abuja rather than the South-East.

“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.

He added that the disagreement over the commission’s location had been resolved, but urged its management to maintain the momentum.

The former Abia governor said the committee would return in December to assess further progress on the headquarters and other aspects of the commission’s operations.