IBIKUNLE Amosun, Senator representing Ogun Central Senatorial District has sponsored a bill seeking to establish the Southwest Development Commission. 

The bill is titled “South West Development Commission (Est, etc) Bill, 2019 (SB. 167)” and was read for the first time at the Senate plenary session presided over by Senate President Ahmed Lawan.

It eventually passed the first reading.

Amosun, the ex-governor of Ogun State, had introduced the bill in collaboration with members of the upper chamber from the South-west region of the country.

Meanwhile, this is not the first time Senate moves to establish the Southwest Development Commission.

Gbenga Bareehu Ashafa, Senator representing Lagos East in the Eight National Assembly, introduced a similar bill in December 2018 that passed only first reading.

11. South West Development Commission (Est, etc) Bill, 2019 (SB. 167) by Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

South West Development Commission (Est, etc) Bill, 2019 (SB. 167) is read for the First Time.

— The Nigerian Senate (@NGRSenate) November 14, 2019

Regional development commissions that have fully come into existence are the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) established in the year 2000 and the Northeast Development Commission (NEDC) in 2017. The primary legislative function of these commissions is to fast-track progress by tackling developmental challenges across the states they cover.

Stella Oduah, senator representing Anambra North had also re-introduced the bill that seeks the creation of the Southeast Development Commission on Tuesday. The bill had been earlier passed by the Eight National Assembly in December 2018 but was not assented to by President Muhamadu Buhari.

The newly introduced bill by Amosun is not yet uploaded on the National Assembly website.