Senate excludes Kano, Plateau from N’East commission

Members of the Senate on Wednesday demanded development commissions for their respective geopolitical zones. The demands were made during the debate on a motion moved by Senator Danjuma Goje and co-sponsored by members of the North-East caucus, titled, ‘The Assent to the North-East Development Commission.’ Several senators who spoke congratulated their North-East colleagues and thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for giving the NEDC Establishment Bill a speedy assent. They, however, blocked the move to include Kano and Plateau states among the states to be covered by the NEDC. They also called for a similar support whenever other geopolitical zones present their demand for a similar development commission. The Senate, however, unanimously granted prayers of the motion to “commend the President for his assent to the North-East Development Commission Bill and commitment to the plight of the North-East geopolitical zone; and to commend the Senate President and the leadership of the 8th Senate and distinguished senators for their support which would see to the restoration of normal life in the North-East.” The lawmakers also urged the Federal Government “to make adequate financial provisions in the 2018 budget for the commission’s appropriate take-off” while urging the donor agencies to continue to support the North-East through the newly established commission.” They however rejected an additional prayer which urged the chamber to include Kano and Plateau states, which were removed at the committee stage, in the subsequent amendment to the NEDC Establishment Act. Seconding the motion, Senator James Manager (Delta-South), recalled that the bill received massive support in the National Assembly and was speedily assented to by the President. He stated that there was the need to accelerate the establishment of the South-East Development Commission. Manager said, “The federal roads in the South-East are in a terrible state. I am not from the South-East, but that geopolitical zone needs urgent attention. If for some reasons, the (road construction) contracts have been awarded and they are not done, this should be looked into. “The SEDC bill has passed second reading but I don’t know where that bill is now. If that bill is ready, bring it to the floor and let us also pass it. From the mood in which I saw the President few days ago, he will sign it.” In his submission, Senator Samuel Anyanwu (Imo-East), who also congratulated the North-East on the NEDC establishment, called for support from North-East senators when other geopolitical zones come up with similar bills. Senator Kabiru Marafa (Zamfara-Central), however, pointed out that he was opposed to the NEDC bill from the onset as it was unfair to other zones. According to him, the North-West is suffering from a security challenge similar to Boko Haram. He said, “I rise to congratulate the people of the North-East and Mr. President for assenting to this important bill. I opposed this bill during its second reading because I believed that it was not the way to go about it. I do believe that the North-East suffered a very terrible and devastating war called Book Haram. But I believed that time that the North-East required an adequate arrangement that would solve the problems caused by the war on Boko Haram and not a permanent structure. “The second reason was that there was no justice in the bill because Kano and Plateau states, and even the FCT, suffered the consequences of Boko Haram. We included Kano and Plateau in the commission. But as it came out from the conference committee, Kano and Plateau were excluded.”