By Toby Chuks
Popular mass movement group in Anamabra State known as Oga Ndi Oga Foundation has joined other well-meaning people of the South East geopolitical zone to welcome the South East Development Commission (SEDC) law describing it as an interesting development news of the year.
Recall that earlier this week President Bola Tinubu signed the SEDC Bill into law after the Bill was passed by the National Assembly.
The Founder and CEO of the foundation, High Chief Godwin Agbasimelo who spoke to journalists at the foundation’s office in Awka, the Anambra State capital, called on President Tinubu to distance the commission from political jobbers and channel the commission’s activities to grassroots development in rural and urban areas across the five states of the zone with emphasis on job creation for the youth, fixing rural and urban roads, boosting agriculture with support for rural farmers, providing potable water, good classroom blocs and affordable health care services.
He said that the foundation received the news of the signing of the SEDC Bill into law with joy, adding that it is the wish of the foundation that Mr President would ensure that the commission is not politicized or be left in the hands of political contractors who would end up using it to make personal gains.
He also said the politicians should not be allowed to use it to patronize their personal Aides and relations, noting that the commission is for the good people of the South East and not for politicians in corridors of power.
He advised President Tinubu to rather use community leaders including town unions, traditional rulers, women, youth and religious leaders to drive the services of the commission in other to safeguard it from corrupt and selfish political jobbers who would end up squandering the purpose of the commission.
He noted that the former Governor of Anambra State and Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in 2023 general election, Peter Obi used community and religious leaders to execute projects in Anamabra when he was the Governor, saying that it worked out very well.
“What I am saying is that everything is not politics. Therefore, SEDC shouldn’t be politicized, let Mr President hand the activities of the commission over to community leaders like town unions, traditional rulers, women, youth and religious leaders with a mandate to ensure that every kobo or material released for the commission is properly utilized for the purpose it was meant for. As Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi applied that method of using community and religious leaders to execute projects and it worked for him, “he added.
