The Chairman of the Senate Committee on the South-East Development Commission, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has urged the management of the commission to relocate its operations to the South-East, insisting that it must be based in the region it was established to serve.

Kalu gave the warning on Monday during an oversight visit to projects being executed by the South-East Development Commission in Enugu State.

The senator, who represents Abia North Senatorial District, said the commission must ensure that its activities and interventions reached communities across the five South-East states rather than operating from Abuja.

He, however, expressed satisfaction with the progress made on the commission’s headquarters in Enugu, commending the management for improvements recorded since the committee’s previous engagements.

Kalu said the committee had inspected two facilities during the visit: the commission’s current office and another building provided by the Enugu State Government, which is being completed for its use.

He said the development had addressed some of the committee’s earlier concerns about the commission’s decision to operate from Abuja rather than the South-East.

“We were quarrelling about our office being in Abuja. Today, we have seen two offices, one where they are staying and the one they are completing, which the government of Enugu State gave them.

“So, we are very impressed. Once they are back home to do what they are sent to do, nobody has problems with them,” Kalu said.

He urged the management to sustain the progress recorded ahead of another oversight visit scheduled for December.

“Well, so far, we are making very good progress, unlike when we started. I’m sure you, both me and my colleagues, are seeing very serious progress. I hope that the Commission, especially the management team, sustains this progress.

“We will be here in December to see the progress so far. We are happy now that something is going on. We also want them to go to the grassroots to show the South Eastern people that they are on the ground,” he said.

The lawmaker reiterated that the commission must operate from the region, warning against using Abuja as its operational base at the expense of the communities it was established to serve.

“The only problem that I said before, and I repeat, is that they cannot operate from Abuja. They must operate from where they are set up. This is where they are located.

“Our quarrel before was about being in Abuja and not being in Enugu. So that quarrel is over now,” he added.

The South-East Development Commission was established to promote development and address infrastructure and other developmental challenges across the region.

Kalu urged the commission to ensure that its projects and interventions extended beyond its headquarters to communities across the five states, stressing that residents needed to see tangible results at the grassroots.

Although he acknowledged that the commission was relatively new, he said its management must sustain the progress recorded and demonstrate its commitment to its mandate. Punch