Senate not Governors injecting N25billion into N140billion SEDC’s 2026 budget – Kalu

The Chairman Senate Committee on South East Development Commission ( SEDC) , Senator Orji Uzor Kalu ( Abia North), clarified Thursday that the planned injection of N25billion into the N140billion 2026 budget of the commission is proposed by the committee for senate approval and has nothing to do with Executive Governors of the South Eastern States .

The N25billion according to him as proposed in the report on SEDC 2026 budget submitted to the Senate Committee on Appropriations on Wednesday by him , will allocate N5billion to each of the five States , namely Abia , Anambra, Ebonyi , Enugu and Imo .

Senator Kalu had during presentation of the report on Tuesday to the Senate’s Appropriation Committee said budgetary augmentation for SEDC for the 2026 fiscal year , arose from the need for impactful development – driven projects execution in 2026 across the five states .

” The Commission received hardly any funding in 2025 fiscal year. Consequently, several projects and strategic initiatives were suspended and remain pending.

“The 2026 proposal is therefore for both fresh appropriation and necessary intervention to re-activate stale projects and restore developmental momentum across the region.

” In view of this, as chairman of the committee, one who has had deliberation with the governors and major stakeholders in the Southeast region, respectfully requesting that the committee consider an additional N5 billion allocation to each of the states, amounting to N25 billion to augment the N140 billion.

” This additional provision will enable SEDC to accelerate the development of the region in health and educational sectors, in line with the Federal Government Renewed Hope
Agenda”, he said.