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The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday confirmed Hon. Mark Okoye and Dr Emeka Nworgu as the South East Development Commission’s managing director, chief executive officer, and chairman of the board of directors, respectively.
They were confirmed following the submission of the report of the screening exercise conducted by the Adhoc Committee on Regional Development Commissions led by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, the APC Senator representing Abia North Constituency in the National Assembly.
The Senate also confirmed other nominees of the 18-member governing board of the SEDC, including Barr. Ugochukwu H. Agballah, Hon. Okey Ezenwa, Chief Hyacinth Ikpor, Chidi Echeazu, Barr. Ifeanyi Agwu, Nasiru Usman, Hamma Adama Ali Kumo Edward David Onoja, Orure Kufre Inima , Daniel Akwari, and Chief (Mrs) Joke Adebayo-Chukwuma.
Others were Rt. Hon. Stanley Ohajuruka (E.D. Finance), Chief Sylvester Okonkwo ( E.D. Corporate Services, Hon. Toby Okechukwu ( E.D. Projects ), Sen, Anthony Agbo ( E.D. Commercial and Industrial Development ) and Dr. Clifford Ogbede (E.D. Natural Resources, Agriculture and Rural Development).
According to Kalu’s report, the nominees proved their capacities to manage the affairs of the respective Development Commission during the screening.
The nominees for the North West Development Commission (NWDC), led by Alhaji Lawal Samai’la Abdullahi as Chairman and Professor Abdullahi Shehu Ma’aji as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, have also been confirmed.
Other confirmed board members of the NWDC include Dr. Yahaya Umar Namahe, Hon. Aminu Suleiman, Ja’afar Abubakar Sadeeq, Yahaya Aminu Abdullahi, Hon. Engr Muhammad Ali Wudil, Shamsu Sule, Nasidi Ali, Chukwu Chijtoke, Ahmed Mohammed, Engr. Ahmed Rufai Timasantyu, Macdonalds Michael Uyi, and Hon. Babatunde Dada.
It would be recalled that four weeks ago, President Bola Tinubu submitted a revised list of nominees for the Governing Boards of the Regional Development Commissions to the Senate for confirmation.
Consequently, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who presided over the plenary, referred the nominees to grilling by an Ad-Hoc Committee created by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu APC, Abia-North.
During the screening, committee members sternly warned the nominees for the Governing Boards not to fail Nigerians, adding that they would be closely monitored by the Senate, which would not hesitate to expedite their sack if found wanting in unethical acts.
Speaking at the confirmation hearing, Senator Kalu reemphasized the importance of accountability and transparency in the governance of the development commissions.
