ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Founding National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Chekwas Okorie, has weighed in on the controversy surrounding the South East Development Commission (SEDC), urging stakeholders in the region to refrain from actions capable of undermining the newly established agency.
The intervention comes amid growing public scrutiny of the commission following its recent disagreement with the Senate Committee overseeing its activities.
The committee, chaired by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, had last week expressed dissatisfaction with the manner in which the commission was being run.
Addressing journalists at a press conference in Enugu on Wednesday, Okorie appealed for restraint, stressing that the South-East should not jeopardise an institution created to address the region’s longstanding developmental challenges.
According to him, the region has a history of frustrating opportunities meant for its advancement.
“I have been involved in the struggle for the South East for over 50 years without interruption. I know how much damage we do to ourselves, especially when good things are about to come our way,” he said.
Okorie praised President Bola Tinubu for establishing the commission and assigning it a clear mandate to tackle developmental issues facing the South-East.
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“This is the first time we have a commission specifically designed to tackle the issues arising from the neglect and devastation suffered by the South East after the Biafra civil war.
“Whatever reservations some people may have, President Tinubu deserves commendation for taking the bold step of not only approving the commission expeditiously but also providing it with a specific mandate,” he stated.
The APGA founding chairman argued that statutory allocations alone would not be sufficient for the commission to fulfil its mandate. He defended efforts by the commission’s management to seek alternative funding sources and attract investors to the region.
He explained that major projects such as interstate rail transportation, gas development, power generation, youth empowerment programmes, entrepreneurship initiatives and skills acquisition schemes require substantial investments, which can only be secured through properly prepared feasibility studies and professional consultancy services.
“If you want investors to come and invest in the South East, you must have documents showing the viability of those projects. Consultancy is about preparing such documents. Without them, how do you attract investors?” he asked.
Responding to concerns raised by the Senate Committee over alleged spending on office accommodation and consultancy services, Okorie questioned why the committee chose to raise the issues publicly after several months.
“The Senate appropriated funds for the commission and has oversight responsibility. If there were concerns, why did they not engage the commission earlier?
“If an office was rented for N153 million in Abuja, what stopped members of the committee from driving there to inspect it?” he queried.
He described the public disagreement between the commission and the Senate committee as unfortunate, warning that it could create the impression that some individuals were working against the interests of the South-East.
“Let us stop hurting ourselves. It is too early. After the commission waited for about one year and eight months before receiving funds, six months later the Senate committee suddenly began to raise alarm publicly.
“Oversight should be carried out diligently and maturely, without creating the impression that there are ulterior motives,” he said.
While defending the commission, Okorie also criticised its public engagement strategy, insisting that inadequate communication had created room for speculation and misinformation.
“The commission has not done enough publicity. People need to know its constraints, what it has achieved and what plans it has for the funds already released. Better communication would keep those who want to cause confusion at bay,” he noted.
He further advised the commission to strengthen its visibility across the region by making its Enugu headquarters fully operational and establishing functional offices in all five South-East states.
“They should have functional offices in the five states and engage local people to communicate their policies, programmes and activities.
“Their communication is poor, and that creates room for rumours and all sorts of allegations against the commission,” Okorie added.
He maintained that although accountability and transparency remain essential, stakeholders should focus on supporting rather than undermining an institution created to drive the development and economic transformation of the South-East.