South West Development Commission bill passes first reading at Senate

A bill seeking to establish the South West Development Commission on Wednesday passed first reading at the Senate.

The Bill was initiated by Senator Gbenga Ashafa (Lagos East).

If the Bill is eventually passed, it would bring the commissions managed by the Federal Government to four.

While the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is already in operation and those of North East, South East Commission were passed last week by the lawmakers.

The new bill if passed would address developmental issues in the states which make up the South West geo-political zone of the country. The States are Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo, Lagos, Osun and Oyo.

The bill entitled, “South West Development Commission (Establishment, etc) Bill, 2018 (SB. 718),” was read for the first time at plenary presided over by the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki.

Also Wednesday, the Primary Health Care Development Agency Act (Amendment) Bill 2018 (SB. 715) and Industrial Property Commission (Est, etc) Bill, 2018 (SB. 716) both sponsored by Senator Aliyu Wamakko, APC, Sokoto North were read for the first time.