Ilaje oil producing communities give 21 day ultimatum over non appointment of indigene on NDDC board

STAKEHOLDERS in oil rich Ilaje community, in Ilaje local government area of Ondo state under the auspices of Coalition of Ilaje Interest Group (COIIG) on Sunday issued a 21 day ultimatum to the Federal government to reverse its decision on the non-inclusion or appointment of an indigene from the area on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)

The group which gave this ultimatum in a communiqué issued after its meeting at Igbokoda, headquarters of the local government, described the non inclusion of the state’s representative on the board of the NDDC as a deliberate attempt to further impoverish the people of the oil-bearing communities.

The COIIG condemned the alleged marginalisation by the Federal Government and NDDC in the running of the affairs of the oil producing communities in Nigeria.

According to the stakeholders, the area and the state have been sidelined in the scheme of things, especially in the sharing of resources and social amenities, noting that it has no good roads, no potable water and no light at its local government headquarters, despite being the only oil producing community in the state.

The stakeholders however said in the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting and signed by its coordinators which included: Orisabinone Taiwo,

Erukusi Womisan and Ikuesan Taiwo among others said, “That we condemn, in its entirety, the failure of the Federal Government to appoint an Ilajeman into the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), as this is seen as a deliberate attempt to further impoverish the people of the oil-bearing communities in Ilajeland.

“That since the appointment of the board members of NDDC last year, the Federal Government has not deemed it necessary to substitute Mr. Tokunbo  Ajasin, who is from Owo – a non-oil producing community, and nominate an indigene from the oil-bearing communities in Ilajeland into the NDDC board.

“That because of the above, the oil-bearing communities in Ilajeland currently do not have a say in the way and manner the NDDC board is being governed.”

They said that the known peace existing in Ondo state should‎ be sustained while the government should urgently attend to their demands to correct the injustice.

The communiqué read further that “We also jointly resolved that unless the injustice of the non-inclusion or appointment of an indigene from Ilajeland into the NDDC board is addressed by the Federal Government within 21 days upon the publication of this communiqué, all the stakeholders in Ilajeland will have no other option than to embark on a massive protest which shall be extended to the various Oil Platforms and Locations in the oil-producing communities in Ilajeland.

“This should not be seen as a threat, but a clarion call on the Federal Government to do the needful and timely so, because a stitch in time saves nine.”

The stakeholders accused successive government of marginalisation in the scheme of things in the state, lamenting that the state has not been fair to the people of the area in terms of political patronage.