Senate passes bill on establishment of South West Development Commission

The Senate on Thursday at plenary passed a bill seeking to establish the South West Development Commission.

The passage of the bill followed the adoption of the report of the Committee on Special Duties presented by the Chairman, Sen. Kaka Shehu (APC-Borno).

Shehu, in his presentation said the bill was designed to drive 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.

“It will receive funds from the federation account, donations from development partners, among others, to address infrastructural deficits and tackle ecological problems in the region,” he said.

Senate after Shehu’s presentation accordingly resolved into committee of the whole for clause by clause consideration of the bill after which it was read for the third time.

Deputy President of Senate, Sen. Barau Jibrin (APC-Kano), who presided plenary after passage of the bill commended Sen. Kaka led committee for processing the bill.

Barau said 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,” he said.