The Senate has intensified oversight of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) as it queries SEDC officials over the management of funds released from the commission’s 2025 budget allocation. Lawmakers raised concerns about several expenditure items, including an alleged N153 million spent on renting a one-room liaison office in Abuja.
The scrutiny emerged during an investigative hearing conducted by the Senate Committee on the South East Development Commission, chaired by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu. The hearing formed part of the National Assembly’s oversight responsibilities and focused on the utilisation of funds released to the commission. Financial records submitted by the agency were reviewed as lawmakers examined how public resources had been managed.
The development comes amid growing emphasis on accountability and transparency in government agencies responsible for regional development programmes.
During the session, lawmakers noted that the commission had received N16.6 billion in December 2025. According to Senator Kalu, available records indicated that only about N13 billion remained in the commission’s account. He said this suggested that approximately N3.6 billion had been spent and should be fully accounted for.
As the Senate queries SEDC, committee members also raised concerns over an alleged N153 million expenditure for a one-room liaison office in Abuja, despite the commission maintaining its corporate headquarters in Enugu. The committee further questioned what it described as N2.5 billion in implied expenditure reflected in the commission’s financial report.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the documents presented, Kalu said: “This committee is disappointed with the financial report presented. It is completely unacceptable.” Other committee members, including Senators Enyinnaya Abaribe, Victor Umeh, and Austin Akobundu, also voiced concerns regarding the commission’s expenditure profile.
Responding to issues raised as the Senate queries SEDC, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the commission, Mark Okoye, defended the agency’s spending decisions. According to him, the commission’s financial strategy is based on actual cash releases rather than budgetary allocations.
“Our approach has been to ensure that available resources are directed towards priority projects. We want allocations to guide the procurement process so that contracts awarded can be backed by available funding,” Okoye said. He added that awarding contracts solely on budget provisions without corresponding releases could create unfunded liabilities and financial difficulties.
“For example, having a budget of N140 billion does not automatically mean that N140 billion in cash is available. It would be irresponsible to award contracts worth the entire budget if only N10 billion or N20 billion has actually been released,” he stated.
The decision to query SEDC underscores the Senate’s commitment to monitoring the use of public funds and ensuring compliance with financial management standards. The scrutiny also highlights the importance of transparency in development commissions established to drive economic and infrastructure growth across geopolitical regions.
