The long-awaited South-East Development Commission (SEDC) will officially come to life today, Tuesday, February 11, 2025, as its 18-member management board is set to be inaugurated in Abuja. This marks a significant milestone in the region’s development agenda.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu nominated the board members on December 6, 2024, following the passage of the SEDC Establishment Bill by the National Assembly and its subsequent signing into law. The Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Regional Development Commissions, led by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, screened and confirmed the nominees, paving the way for today’s swearing-in ceremony.
Among those taking the oath of office is Dr. Clifford Ogbede, who will serve as the Executive Director of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Natural Resources, representing Imo State. Emeka Nwogu will be sworn in as the Chairman of the Commission, while Mark Okoye assumes the role of Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. Other key executives include Rt. Hon. Stanley Ohajuruka (Executive Director, Finance), Sylvester Okonkwo (Executive Director, Corporate Services), Toby Okechukwu (Executive Director, Projects), and Anthony Agbo (Executive Director, Commercial and Industrial Development).
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Additional board members include Ugochukwu Agballah, Okey Ezenwa, Hyacinth Ikpor, Chidi Echeazu, Ifeanyi Agwu, Nasiru Usman, Hamma Kumo, Edward Onoja, Orure Inima, Daniel Akwari, and Joke Adebayo-Chukwuma.
With today’s formal inauguration, the SEDC board will officially assume its duties, closing the chapter on the legal and procedural clearances required for its operation. Now fully constituted, the commission is expected to immediately embark on its core mandate: accelerating development across the South-East region.
This event signals a new era of economic and infrastructural transformation for the South-East, as the newly appointed board takes charge of implementing policies and projects aimed at uplifting the region’s socio-economic landscape.
