The Coalition of Niger Delta Groups in Ondo State has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to adhere strictly to the Act that established Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in appointing the next managing director of the Commission.
The group which comprises the Niger Delta Youth Movement (NDYM), ex-militants and youths of different associations from the state, stated this on Wednesday in Akure, Ondo state capital, during a press conference.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Comrade Akinfemi Omojuwa, appealed to the President to grant the request of the people of the state for the sake of justice, equity and fairness, saying it is the constitutional right of Ondo State by the virtue of the Act that established NDDC in 2000.
Omojuwa alleged that the oil-producing communities in Ondo State, which were ranked fifth among nine states under NDDC in the country, had been deprived of their statutory rights since the inception of the commission, despite the contribution to oil production in Nigeria and the statutory provision as contained in the NDDC Act.
He said, “We want to express our pain over the continuous marginalisation of the oil communities in Ondo State in the composition of the NDDC’s board as executive lawlessness and injustice that must be addressed by President Muhammadu Buhari and his Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio before it causes serious mayhem in the region.
“We want to urge President Buhari to exercise fairness by appointing Ondo indigene the new MD of NDDC. It should be noted that the Managing Director of the board of NDDC is the turn of Ondo State while constituting the substantive board.
“Section 12(1) of the NDDC Act states, there shall be for the Commission, a Managing Director and two Executive Directors who shall be indigenes of oil-producing areas starting with the member-state with the highest production quantum of oil and shall rotate amongst member-states in order of production.
“This clear and unambiguous provision of the NDDC Act means that every member-state shall produce the Managing Director of the Commission in a rotational manner, following a sequential order that uses the quantum of oil production starting with the state with the highest production and you will agree with us that Ondo State is the fifth largest producers of oil after Akwa Ibom, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa State had produced the NDDC managing director.”
He explained that the state had been marginalized severally and said “Records have shown that Akwa Ibom, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa States respectively have repeatedly produced the NDDC Managing Director in succession, thereby giving room for the marginalization of Ondo State.
“Records have revealed that Delta State had occupied the position of MD four times and the positions of the Executive Director of Finance with that of Executive Director of Project three times.
“Akwa Ibom State had occupied the position of Managing Director (MD) three times, and still had the position of the Executive Director of Finance with that of Executive Director of Project Four times.
“Rivers State had occupied the position of the Managing Director (MD) three times and had the positions of the Executive Director of Finance with that of Executive Director of Project four times.
“Bayelsa State had occupied the position of the Managing Director (MD) of NDDC four times and the positions of the Executive Director Finance and that of Executive Director Project five times.
The group however appealed to Hon. Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio “to use his good office to inform President Buhari to adhere strictly to the Act and appoint the next NDDC Managing Director from Ondo State, being the fifth highest oil-producing state as stipulated in the NDDC Act.”
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