Opinion
By Chuka Nnabuife
THE South East Development Commission (SEDC) is currently weathering a storm.
Following its appearance before a Senate oversight committee on 9 June, the young agency has found itself at the centre of intense public scrutiny. Social media platforms, radio stations and television channels have been awash with allegations, criticisms and sweeping judgments about how the Commission is being run. For an organisation barely two years old, it has been a bruising public relations experience.
Footage from the Senate hearing quickly spread across the media landscape. Viewers watched as the Commission’s Managing Director, Mark Okoye, repeatedly sought an opportunity to explain issues raised by members of the committee, only to appear frustrated in his attempts to do so.
The result was a public narrative that, in many quarters, seemed to reach a verdict before hearing the full facts.
Beyond the politics and drama, however, there is a more fundamental question: are we being fair to the SEDC?
The Commission was established to drive the development of the South-East, a region that has suffered decades of infrastructural neglect and inadequate federal investment. It is still in its infancy. Judging its entire performance on the basis of one contentious oversight session risks overlooking the broader context.
One of the issues raised at the hearing concerned the release of approximately ₦16 billion from the Commission’s 2025 budget, with reports indicating that about ₦12 billion remains unspent. If those figures are accurate, it means only about ₦4 billion had been utilised by the end of May 2026. It is therefore reasonable to ask how such expenditure could automatically be labelled wasteful if it was incurred within approved budgetary provisions.
Another issue involved allegations surrounding a purported ₦153 million office rent. Whether the claim is justified or not, the principle of natural justice demands that the accused party be given an opportunity to respond before conclusions are drawn. Yet public discourse appears to have moved swiftly from allegation to conviction.
Significantly, the Senate committee adjourned proceedings until 16 June to allow the Commission present its position on the matters raised. It would therefore be prudent to await the outcome of that process before declaring the agency guilty of financial misconduct.
What is perhaps most striking is the speed with which criticism has eclipsed any discussion of the Commission’s achievements. Since the controversy erupted, commentators have been eager to catalogue what SEDC is allegedly doing wrong. Far fewer have examined what it may be doing right.
Among the recurring criticisms is the claim that the Commission has spent too much time organising seminars, stakeholder engagements and consultations instead of delivering visible projects. While such concerns reflect a public understandably impatient for development, they also overlook an important reality: development is not merely about erecting buildings or constructing roads.
Every credible development institution follows a process. First, it identifies and analyses the problems requiring intervention. Second, it engages stakeholders and establishes priorities. Third, it assesses available resources and develops implementation strategies. Only then does it move fully into project execution, monitoring and evaluation.
These are not abstract academic theories. They are universally accepted principles of development planning. Institutions that ignore these foundational stages often end up with poorly conceived projects, wasted resources and unsustainable outcomes.
A close look at the SEDC suggests that it is still heavily engaged in these early stages. That may explain its emphasis on consultations, stakeholder forums and strategic planning. Such activities may not produce dramatic headlines, but they are often necessary precursors to meaningful and sustainable development.
This is not to suggest that the Commission is above criticism. Far from it.
The recent controversy has exposed weaknesses in its stakeholder engagement and public communication strategy. A development agency operating in a politically charged environment cannot afford to leave its narrative entirely in the hands of critics. The SEDC must do more to communicate its objectives, activities and achievements to the people it was established to serve.
There is also a growing expectation across the South-East for tangible results. Members of the Senate oversight committee expressed frustration at what they perceived as an excessive emphasis on concepts and presentations rather than visible outcomes. Similar concerns were raised during the Commission’s budget defence in 2025.
Dr Okoye and his team should take such concerns seriously. Strategic planning is indispensable, but development agencies ultimately earn public confidence through measurable impact. The Commission must increasingly complement its consultations and planning sessions with projects that citizens can see and feel.
Yet even as the SEDC adjusts and improves, it deserves something equally important from political leaders and the public: support.
The South-East has waited decades for a dedicated regional development agency. It would be unfortunate if an institution created to address the region’s developmental challenges were weakened before it has had sufficient time to mature.
The Commission should be held accountable. It should be scrutinised. It should be challenged to perform. Those are essential elements of democratic governance and public oversight.
But it should also be given a fair hearing, the opportunity to explain itself, and the space to evolve into the institution the South-East desperately needs. Oversight should strengthen development, not undermine it.
Constructive criticism, informed scrutiny and public support are not mutually exclusive. Indeed, they are all necessary if the SEDC is to fulfil its mandate and justify the hopes invested in it.
For now, the Commission deserves neither a blank cheque nor a public crucifixion. It deserves fairness, patience and the opportunity to prove its worth.
***Chuka Nnabuife, FNGE, FSNA, author and journalist, writes from Awka, Anambra State via [email protected]. 08026472357
A.I
June 11, 2026
Tags: Chuka Nnabuife