The Senate Committee on the South East Development Commission (SEDC), led by its senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, has questioned the management of the commission over its inability to account for more than N4 billion spent from its 2025 budget while also raising concerns about an alleged N154 million annual payment for an office in Abuja.
The commission’s Managing Director, Mark Okoye, appeared before the committee alongside senior officials, including former Chief of Staff to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Sylvester Okonkwo, to defend the agency’s expenditure for the year.
According to budget records, the SEDC received N16.6 billion for its operations in 2025.
Chairman of the committee and Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, demanded details of the commission’s financial position and expenditure, warning that lawmakers would not tolerate excuses.
“We will not accept any excuses, regardless of your background. My responsibility is to fulfill my duties, and we, as parliamentarians, must fulfill ours. I do not care how you came to hold this position, but the constitution has entrusted us with a role to ensure you operate within the laws of Nigeria,” Kalu said.
He further asked, “You have received N16.6 billion, how much is left in your account?”
Responding, Okoye said the commission still had between N11.5 billion and N12 billion in its accounts.
“Based on the last information provided to me, the SEDC should have around N11.5 to N12 billion in its account,” he said.
However, Kalu rejected the explanation, insisting that the figures did not align with information available to the committee and data obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
“In this committee, we have the means to trace where funds have been spent and where they are held. These individuals are not just anybody; they are government officials. I have communicated with the Central Bank, and I can retrieve documents from my office right now,” he stated.
The lawmaker disclosed that the Auditor-General had also been directed to examine the commission’s activities, stressing that he was dissatisfied with the responses provided.
Unable to give a detailed breakdown of the spending, the SEDC management was ordered to return before the committee next Tuesday with comprehensive records of how the funds were utilised.
“We are not pleased with your performance. This is not the standard expected from someone who claims expertise. I am quite disappointed, and this committee shares that sentiment. We are giving you one week to return and present the full truth regarding this matter because you are wasting our time,” Kalu said.
The senator also alleged that committee records showed the commission was spending about N154 million annually on a small Abuja office despite maintaining its headquarters in Enugu.
“You maintain a tiny office here in Abuja and are paying N153 million for a single room. This committee is aware of it. You’re engaging with individuals who have progressed further than you believe. This is why I’m cautioning you; let’s not continue this farce here,” he added.
The SEDC, established following the signing of the South East Development Commission Act by President Bola Tinubu in 2024, was inaugurated in February 2025 to drive infrastructure, economic and social development across Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states.
The commission was created to address long-standing developmental challenges in the South-East, including infrastructure deficits, environmental concerns, investment promotion, agricultural development and job creation.
The Senate’s latest scrutiny is expected to intensify calls for accountability and transparency in the management of public funds by the relatively new agency, as stakeholders continue to monitor its performance and delivery of development projects across the region.
