The House of Representatives on Thursday urged the Federal Government to adhere to the provisions of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Act 2000 by constituting the agency’s governing board.
The House also urged the Federal Government to adhere to the provisions of Section 4 of the NDDC Act 2000 by considering Delta State, which is the next in alphabetical order for the position of Chairmanship of the board.
The House further urged the Federal Government to adhere to the provisions of Section 12(1) of the NDDC Act 2000 by considering Ondo, Edo, and Imo member states, which in this order, are next in quantum of production of 5th, 6th, and 7th for the positions of the Managing Director; Executive Director, Finance and Administration; and Executive Director, Projects of the board.
The Committee on NDDC was mandated to ensure compliance.
These resolutions followed a motion on the Need to Comply with the NDDC Act 2000 in the Composition of the Governing Board by Kolade Victor Akinjo.
The House noted that great injustice had characterised the composition of the NDDC board as regards the offices of the Chairman, Managing Director and the two Executive Directors.
It recalled that Section 2(1) of the NDDC Act 2000 stipulates that the board shall consist of a Chairman, one person who shall be an indigene of an oil-producing area to represent each of the member-states stated therein; the Managing Director; and two Executive Directors.
It also recalled that in Section 4, the NDDC Act 2000 states that the office of the Chairman shall rotate among the member states in alphabetical order starting with Abia State and ending with Rivers State.
The House observed that despite Section 4 and 12 of the NDDC Act, the positions of the Board Chairman, Managing Director and two Executive Directors have been occupied by Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers and Cross River, leaving out Ondo, Imo and Edo states.
The House said it was also aware that in the order of quantum of production, Ondo (fifth), Edo (sixth) and Imo (seventh) are yet to occupy the positions of the Managing Director and the two Executive Directors.
The House noted that the next set of member states in the order of the alphabet and quantum or production to occupy the positions of the Chairman, Managing Director and the two Executive Directors are: Delta (Chairman), Ondo (Managing Director), Edo (Executive Director, Finance and Administration) and Imo (Executive Director, Projects).
The House expressed concern that if urgent steps are not taken to reverse this disturbing trend, “it will not only be an extensive discrimination against these remaining member states but further engendering a discriminatory practice impeding the participation of these member states in managing the affairs of the Commission formed to cater for them.”
