The Senate on Monday 9th May, 2016 commenced its 2-day public hearing on a Bill for an Act to Establish the North East Development Commission (SB.163). The Bill seeks to establish a North East Development Commission to receive and manage funds allocated from the Federation Account and International Donors to settle, rehabilitate, reconstruct roads, houses and business premises of victims of insurgency and tackle the menace of poverty, literacy, ecological problems, human security and other environmental or developmental challenges in the North East Zone. The public hearing was organized by the Joint Committees on Special duties and Establishment and had in attendance various stakeholders including the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), civil society organizations, representatives of donor and international agencies like DFID, UNDP, EU, UN and USAID, the media and concerned citizens.
Giving the opening remarks on the importance of the Bill, The Senate President, Bukola Saraki (APC:Kwara) highlighted the importance of the Legislature and the Executive collaborating to rebuild the North East through the establishment of a Commission that could cater to its needs. He also hoped that the Senate would pass the Bill for third reading before the end of June. Reiterating this view, the Chairman of the Joint Committee on the North East Development Commission Sen. Abdul-Aziz Murtala Nyako (APC:Adamawa) highlighted that the proposed Commission would survey the extent of damages in the North East and implement a development Master Plan to build infrastructure and restore confidence in the region.
The platform also provided an opportunity for stakeholders at the public hearing to make presentations on the Bill; with most decrying the extent of damage in the North East and describing the Bill as a timely intervention. In particular, the Director General of NEMA was of the opinion that the composition of members of the Board should be expanded to include NEMA since its mandate extended to the provision of humanitarian services in the North East.Former member of the House of Representatives, Engineer. K. Kyari Gujbawu noted in his submission that the Bill failed to provide amnesty to people who were coerced to join the Boko Haram insurgent group. Furthermore, a civil society organization named ‘‘Scaling up Nutrition in Nigeria’’ proposed the inclusion of a development expert in the board as well as a representative of Womenand children’s interests in the monitoring Committee. In addition, arepresentative of the Bring Back Our Girls campaign also suggested for a needs assessment to be undertaken before final decisions on the Bill are made.
The Public hearing is expected to continue tomorrow, Tuesday 10th May, 2016 to enable stakeholders make more contributions.
