The Senate Wednesday passed for third reading a bill for the establishment of the South-East Development Commission.

The passage followed the consideration and adoption of the report of the Committee on Establishment and Public Service chaired by Sen Emmanuel Paulker (PDP, Bayelsa).

The commission, when established, will take care of the challenges facing the southeast zone, comprising Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states.

The senate stated that the funding for the commission, would come via one percent of the ecological funds due to the five states in the zone.

Our correspondent reports that a similar bill was rejected in the House of Representatives last year, a development that divided the lawmakers along regional lines at the time.

The Senate said the commission would be a replica of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), which was established via an Act of the National Assembly and assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The bill is expected to be sent to the House for concurrence after which it would be transmitted to Buhari for his assent.

Addressing a press conference after the passage of the bill, the South-East Caucus in the Senate, appealed to Buhari to sign the bill into law.

Chairman of the caucus, Sen Eyinnaya Abaribe (PDP, Abia), said the president should endeavour to sign the bill when it eventually gets to him so that the South-East zone would witness some developmental progress.