The Nigerian Senate, on Thursday, passed a bill seeking to establish the South-South Development Commission through its second reading, following a debate led by Senator Ekpenyong Asuquo, representing Cross River South.
Asuquo argued that the South-South region deserves its own commission to address its specific needs, noting that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), which was originally created for the Niger Delta, includes states outside the South-South geo-political zone. He stressed the importance of a commission focused solely on the South-South region.
“The South-South people need a commission to address their needs because the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has member states that are not from the geo-political zone,” Asuquo said during the debate.
Supporting the bill, Barau Jibrin, the Deputy Senate President, highlighted the principle of equity, pointing out that other geo-political zones in Nigeria have their own development commissions.
“I support this bill because I believe what is good for the goose is good for the gander,” Jibrin stated.
“The Niger Delta area has the NDDC. It was created to try to mitigate environmental challenges, and it is not restricted to the South-South alone. When this is passed, we will have to look at NDDC to change its name to oil-producing states or something.”
Another strong voice in support of the bill came from Senator Sunday Karimi, representing Kogi West, who noted the significant role the South-South plays in Nigeria’s economy due to its crude oil production.
“South-South they work on the altar, and they must be fed at the altar. I fully support this bill,” Karimi remarked.
The bill passed its second reading after Senate President Godswill Akpabio put it to a voice vote.
Akpabio subsequently referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Special Duties for further consideration, with a report expected in one week.
In a related development, the Senate also amended the North-West Development Commission and South-East Development Commission bills to ensure geo-political representation on their governing boards.