Ondo communities kick against alleged marginalisation in composition of NDDC boards, appointments

Ondo communities kick against alleged marginalisation in composition of NDDC boards, appointments

…Calls for President Buhari’s intervention

Sole Administrator for NDDC unknown,it is illegal, Strange — Senate tells Buhari

By Dayo Johnson, Akure

The coastal communities in Ondo state under the aegis, Ondo State Coastal Frontiers have kicked against the continue manipulation in the composition of the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and some appointments made into the board.

A statement made available to newsmen in Akure by the group’s coordinator, Nelson Mafo expressed the displeasure of the people of the coastal community over the composition of the board members of NDDC.

Mafo who described the development as an act of injustice, marginalization and oppression, noted that the appointment of the commission’s Managing Director and the two Executive Directors had never followed the Act that established NDDC.

He noted the appointments had been in total disregard to the NDDC Act which can cause more problems in the Niger Delta region if not quickly addressed by the Federal government.

ALSO READ: Fulham’s Aina escapes VAR verdict after handball controversy

“Since inception in 2001, appointments and nominations of persons into the Executive positions of the NDDC have been lopsided in utter disregard to the existing Act which established the Commission.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Section 12 of the NDDC Act states that ” appointment to the three (3) Executive positions shall be based on the quantum of oil production in rotational order.

“This section of the NDDC Act 2001 is explicit enough to guide and regulate successive presidential nominations into the Management Board of the NDDC – the Managing Director and the two Executive positions. This section is unambiguous sacrosanct.

“The unfortunate thing today is a situation where the four states of the South-South region of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers in collaboration with successive governments manipulate and monopolise these positions in gross violation of the statutory Act that set up the Commission.

“This will no longer be acceptable. For the record, Bayelsa has occupied the position of the MD of NDDC four times and Executive position s ( EDFA and Executive Director Project) five times.

ALSO READ: COVID-19: Edo government reactivates isolation, treatment centres

“Delta occupied the MD position four times and EDFA and EDP three times. Akwa Ibom- MD three times, EDFA and EDP (Four times) Rivers- MD- three times. EDFA & EDP Four times.

“This statistic is alarming, it has grossly eroded the spirit of fairness, justice and equity. It is the very foundation on which corruption in the NDDC thrives”

“Successive governments in Nigeria see nothing wrong in this abhorrible impunity and manipulation of the NDDC Act to suit a particular interest rather than the overall good of the people of the Niger Delta region.

Mafo, however, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to wade into the matter in order to correct the impunity, saying “we implore Mr President to do the needful by correcting this age-long impunity.

“We say enough is enough. This impunity in the NDDC must stop. The next NDDC Managing Director must come from Ondo State going by the NDDC Act.

He said that “We will resist any contrary decision to continue with the manipulation of Ondo State with every legal strength available to us”

Vanguard News Nigeria

The post Ondo communities kick against alleged marginalisation in composition of NDDC boards, appointments appeared first on Vanguard News.



Teemikemedia Agency AD6

Teemikemedia Agency AD7

Post a Comment

0 Comments


Teemikemedia TV
NAIJAMEDIALOG Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
SUBSCRIBE