By Fatima Saka
ABUJA — The Managing Director of the Southeast Development Commission (SEDC), Mr. Mark Okoye, says the commission is laying a solid foundation for regional transformation through an inclusive, stakeholder-driven plan aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s We Need Hope agenda.
Okoye made the disclosure on Thursday while addressing journalists shortly after a closed-door meeting with the Senate Committee on the Southeast Development Commission at the National Assembly in Abuja.
Speaking on the commission’s performance in its first 150 days of operation, Okoye explained that the SEDC has focused on institutional development, extensive consultations, and the formulation of a strategic development blueprint designed to reflect the aspirations of the Southeast people.
“We’ve been in office for about 150 days, and in that time we’ve developed a plan anchored on the yearnings of the Southeast. We’ve engaged stakeholders across the board—private sector, state and local governments, academia, CSOs, and international development partners—to ensure the plan is inclusive and actionable,” he said.
The SEDC MD dismissed concerns about funding, insisting that the commission’s mandate is not constrained by financial resources.
“Funding is not a challenge. The 2025 budget implementation cycle was always scheduled to begin around this time. What’s most critical is not just funding projects, but ensuring we have a credible, well-supported plan that drives impact,” he stated.
Okoye also underscored the importance of collaboration, noting that the Commission has recently briefed international development agencies and called on them to support implementation efforts.
“This is an ambitious plan—we’ve waited 54 years for this Commission—so we need everyone: private investors, development finance institutions, and residents of the region. Success depends on shared ownership,” he said.
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He concluded by expressing confidence that visible projects would begin rolling out soon, now that the foundation for sustainable development has been firmly laid.
The SEDC, established to fast-track socio-economic development in Nigeria’s Southeast region, was inaugurated earlier this year after decades of agitation by regional leaders and civil society.
