Senate Appoints Orji Kalu as Chairman of South-East Development Commission

The Nigerian Senate has appointed Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North) as the first chairman of the newly established Senate Committee on the South-East Development Commission (SEDC). The announcement was made on Tuesday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The SEDC, one of the regional development commissions recently signed into law by President Bola Tinubu, is tasked with addressing key issues in the South-East, including civil restitution, erosion control, security restoration, and infrastructure development.

Before his new role, Senator Kalu, a former governor of Abia State, served as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Privatisation. Alongside him, Senator Ken Eze (Ebonyi Central) has been appointed as the vice chairman of the committee. Other members of the committee will be announced later.

In a related development, the Senate confirmed an 18-member leadership team for the SEDC. Dr. Emeka Nworgu was appointed as chairman, while Hon. Mark Okoye will serve as managing director and chief executive officer. Other key appointees include Ugochukwu H. Agballah, Hon. Okey Izenwa, Chief Hyacinth Ikpor, Chidi Echeazu, Ifeanyi Agwu, Nasiru Usman, Hamma Adama Ali, Kumo Edward David Onoja, and Orure Kufre Inima.

Additional appointments include Daniel Akwari, Chief (Mrs.) Joke Adebayo-Chukwuma, Hon. Stanley Ohajuruka (Executive Director, Finance), Chief Sylvester Okonkwo (Executive Director, Corporate Services), and Hon. Toby Okechukwu (Executive Director, Projects). Senator Anthony Agbo was named Executive Director of Commercial and Industrial Development, while Dr. Clifford Ogbede will oversee Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Rural Development.