Senate passes South-West Development Commission Bill for third reading

The Nigerian Senate has passed for a third reading, a bill to establish the South West Development Commission.

The bill was read for the third time on Thursday of after the upper Chamber considered the report of its committee on Special Duties led by Kaka Shehu Lawan.

In his presentation, Kaka highlighted that the bill’s primary objectives are to promote the socio-economic development of the South West region. He emphasized that if the Commission is established through presidential assent, it will, like other regional development commissions, receive funding from the federation account and contributions from development partners. These funds will be channelled to address the region’s infrastructural deficits and ecological challenges.

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Following the report, the Senate moved into a committee of the whole to deliberate on the bill clause by clause, after which it was passed for the third reading.

Barau Jibrin, the Deputy Senate President, who presided over the session, expressed optimism that the South West Development Commission would help address the region’s infrastructural and environmental issues.

“The purpose of these various development commissions is to accelerate the growth of every region in the country. President Bola Tinubu has already assented to similar bills for other regions, and we are confident he will approve this one as well,” Jibrin stated.