A group, Justice Council of the Oil Producing Communities in Ondo state has kicked against the composition of the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and some appointments made into the NDDC by President Muhammadu Buhari
The group’s position was made known in a statement signed by the Spokesperson of the group, Mr. Segun Odolo who expressed displeasure over the composition of the board members of NDDC.
Odolo noted that the composition as announced by the Federal Government violated the Act that established the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), saying the group rejects in its entirety the composition of the NDDC Board as announced on Tuesday, 27th of August 2019.
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According to him, the group had earlier called on the government to respect the Act as a depicts in the tenet of rule of law, and said “We reject the purported composition because it violated the Act of NDDC and it is capable of causing disharmony among the member states of the commission.
“Though we have been denied and cheated as the government in the past raped the NDDC Act with impunity, we have waited enough for the emplacement of law above lawlessness and disorderliness”
Odolo explained that “according to the order of rotation as contained in the Act, it must be stated clearly that it is the turn of Ondo state to produce the Managing Director of the commission this time around. The denial is, therefore, an injustice to the oil-producing communities in Ondo state and its entire citizens.
“Ondo State is the fifth largest producer of oil in the country, following the quantum of its production in ranking order as follows; Akwa Ibom 31.4 percent Delta 21.7 percent, Rivers 21.4 percent, Balyesa 18.1, Ondo 3.7 Edo2.1, Imo 1.1, Abia 0.7, Cross River 0.8 percent.
“Ondo state, by the Act that established NDDC is entitled to be given the position of the managing director as it has never held the position since the inception of the interventionist agency.
It is instructive at this juncture to mention the occupant of the Governing Board since inception”
“Apart from the position of the managing director, nobody from Ondo state has ever been considered for the post of Executive Directors in the NDDC all this while.
“As the fifth-largest producer behind Akwa Ibom, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa states, who have taken their turns, it is the turn of Ondo State to occupy the position of the Managing Director of the interventionist agency, it is the turn of Ondo state to produce the Managing Director of the board.
The group also noted that all the states had occupied the position of the Managing Director and Chairmanship position of the NDDC since its inception in the year 2000, saying that the NDDC Act stipulates that the positions of the chairman and the Managing Director are to be rotated among the oil-producing states in alphabetical order and according to the quantum of production respectively.
“The State Justice Council detest and reject the announcement on the grounds that the composition violates the Act that establishes NDDC and therefore it is a continuation of the subversion of the Act that establishes the NDDC.
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“In the interest of the rule of law, justice, and equity, we call for proper procedure and nomination in line with the establishment Act.
“The composition is an aberration and a rape on the sanctity of the Act that established the NDDC. The need to call on Mr President, a man of justice to right the wrong.
“We view subterranean moves surrounding the palpable announcement as a bad precedent. Nocturnal agenda will generate anarchy, apathy among the member states.
“Not only, that the announcement has generated protests thereby infringing on the relative peace in the Niger Delta. It has again challenged the community of the oil-producing states to examine their position on the issue of law and order.
“While the successive government had been playing politics with the provisions of the Establishment Act when it comes to sharing of management positions, it is expected that the injustice will be corrected once and for all,” the group said.
and then