The Senate has passed a bill seeking to establish a commission to address environmental, ecological, and other socio-economic development challenges in the South-West.

Titled the South-West Development Commission Establishment Bill, 2024, the bill was passed by the Senate after it was read for the third time during plenary on Thursday.

The bill, passed after the Chairman, Senate Committee on Special Duties, Kaka Shehu (APC-Borno), presented the report, was sponsored by a former Ogun State governor and Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial district, Gbenga Daniel and co-sponsored by South-West senators. It is awaiting President Bola Tinubu’s assent to become a law.

According to Mr Kaka, the commission after its establishment, will address infrastructural deficits and ecological challenges in the region, and will be funded from the federation account and donations from development partners, like it’s with development commissions in other zones in the country.

He said, “If the commission is established through presidential assent, it will have the capacity to address key issues such as infrastructure and environmental challenges in the South-West.”

The Senate thereafter moved into a committee of the whole to do a clause-by-clause consideration of the bill, after which it was passed for the third reading.

Applauding the committee for ensuring the success of the bill, the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin (APC-Borno), stated that the SWDC re-echoed the purpose of the bill for the region.

Mr Barau said, “The goal of these commissions is to fast-track the development of various regions across the country. President Bola Tinubu has already assented to similar bills for zonal development initiatives, and we expect him to sign this one as well.”