The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, yesterday said the proposed South East Development Commission (SEDC) would lead to the development of the region, which was badly affected by the Nigeria civil war.

Kalu expressed gratitude to the Senate over the passage of the bill seeking the establishment of SEDC.

The proposed legislation, sponsored by the Deputy Speaker, was passed by the Senate, yesterday, after considering and adopting its clauses at the committee of the whole, chaired by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

Recall that the House of Representatives, on December 21, 2023, at its Committee of the Whole, chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Kalu, unanimously passed the bill for the third reading and sent it to the Senate for concurrence.

Reacting to the development, the Deputy Speaker commended the Senate, saying that the bill when passed into law and eventually assented by President Bola Tinubu, would help to rebuild the South East region that was badly affected by the civil war.

He noted that the passage of the bill is coming at a time when members of the National Assembly from the South East, led by him, are championing an initiative, known as the Peace in South East Project (PISE-P), a non-political movement using non-kinetic approach to resolving problems in the region.

The Deputy Speaker noted that once the bill becomes law, and the commission is established, its impact will be felt around the region in terms of jobs, businesses, and infrastructural development, among others.

He expressed optimism that Tinubu would assent to the bill when transmitted to him, urging Nigerians to keep supporting the government.

Kalu said: “I’m grateful to my colleagues in the Senate, led by Godswill Akpabio, for passing, through the third reading, the bill seeking the establishment of SEDC, which I sponsored. I am equally grateful to my colleagues in the House who supported and passed the bill recently.”

On his part after passing the bill, the Senate President noted that the bill is very crucial, congratulating the Southeastern people.

He said: “This is a very important bill that has been passed by this 10th Senate, and so I had hit the gavel to underscore the fact that this bill addresses all the fears of our brothers and sisters, and my in-laws in the South East.”

The bill, having been passed, will be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent before it becomes an Act of parliament.