The Senate has resumed discussions on a bill to create the South-South Development Commission, which was previously suspended in July. The bill, sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong from Cross River South, faced strong opposition earlier, with many lawmakers voting against it.
However, on Thursday, senators reconsidered the proposal, stating that every region should have its own development commission. They argued that what is fair for one region should be fair for others.
The initial opposition claimed that the proposed South-South Development Commission would overlap with the functions of the existing Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), which already focuses on the development needs of oil-producing states in the region.
This time, around 10 senators supported the bill, saying the new commission would focus on development projects rather than being resource-based like the NDDC.
Some lawmakers, like Senator Karimi from Kogi West, argued that states like Kogi, which also produce oil, should be included in the NDDC. The Deputy Senate President suggested renaming the NDDC to include other oil-producing states like Bauchi and Kogi.
The bill has now been referred to the Committee on Special Duties, which is expected to report back within one week.
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