The Nigerian senate on Tuesday, received a bill seeking to establish the North-East Development Commission (NEDC), which will have legal powers to receive and manage funds from the Federation Account and international donors.
The bill as presented provides the zone receives on monthly basis, from the Federation Account, an equivalent of 15 percent of the total monthly statutory allocations due to member states of the commission. This will be the contribution of the Federal Government to the commission.
A total of eighteen senators from the North-East cutting across party line, jointly submitted the bill before the Senate. The lawmakers told newsmen that the bill is aimed at rebuilding the zone, which they said has been devastated by Boko Haram.
Danjuma Goje who is the Chairman of the North- East Senate Caucus, said the commission when set up, will complement other agencies of government, including state and local governments in rebuilding the region.
He also said when the commission is fully in force; it will function like the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in the North- East, just as he expressed hope that the bill will receive expeditious passage and as- sent of President Muhammadu Buhari.
-Emmanuel Ikechukwu
