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In order for the South East Development Commission (SEDC) to start operations throughout the region, the South East Youth Forum, SEYF, has urged the federal government to allocate finances for the agency immediately.

Benjamin Kalu, the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, recently disclosed that although a budget has been established, a board has been appointed, and the president has given his consent, the commission’s authorized monies have not yet been disbursed.

Obiora Osunkwo, the SEYF Convener, responded to the delay by accusing the SEDC of betraying the expectations that were set when it was founded.

In a statement released on Thursday, Osunkwo asserted that the SEDC’s incapacity to utilize its authorized monies has left the commission disabled and unable to provide the rehabilitation, reintegration, and reconciliation that the South East’s residents were promised.

He said that the establishment of the SEDC was intended to serve as the vehicle for delivering the “three Rs,” which stand for reconstruction, reintegration, and reconciliation, for which the South East had been waiting for decades.

In his words, “We remind Mr President that the agitation in the South East remains intense and that promises unfulfilled deepen frustrations and widen the trust deficit between the region and the centre.”

To enable the SEDC board to initiate initiatives in the fields of agriculture, energy, infrastructure, technology, and trade, SEYF requested the president, ministries, and treasury agencies to guarantee the prompt transfer of SEDC funds.

“The SEDC has a statutory mandate to drive sustainable development, promote investment and upgrade critical infrastructure across the South East, and that mandate cannot be fulfilled while the commission remains unfunded,” Osunkwo said.

The youth group also supported Kalu’s assertion that the distribution of SEDC monies would be a calculated move to combat regional instability.

“Once agriculture, commerce, infrastructure and jobs are activated, insecurity will reduce. The SEDC is not just a development tool it is also a peacebuilding mechanism.

“It is untenable that agencies with the mandate to rebuild and provide hope are unable to commence work because funds remain tied up. The people’s patience is wearing thin,” Osunkwo said.

The Ministry of Finance, the Accountant-General’s office, and other pertinent organizations were urged by SEYF to release a precise schedule for the distribution of SEDC funding.

The group also called on the SEDC leadership to provide a calendar for stakeholder involvement, a 100-day implementation plan, and a list of projects that should be prioritized.

“Development institutions without funds are symbolic at best and damaging at worst because they create hope that is later dashed by inaction,” Osunkwo said.

He affirmed that there would be no more delays and urged the president to show political will by directing the monies to be released immediately.

“To the people of the South East we say: hold your peace but keep your vigilance; your demands for justice, development and dignity are legitimate and must be answered with concrete action and not mere rhetoric,” he said.

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