Community appeals to Buhari to appoint Imo indigene as NDDC MD

The Urashi Peoples’ Congress (UPC) called on President Muhammadu Buhari to consider appointing the director-general of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for the region.

The Urashi Peoples Congress is an umbrella body for the Oil-Producing Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Imo.

The community appealed in a letter to the president signed by its coordinator, Mr Reginald Uwakwe.

The UPC lamented that appointments to key positions within the NDDC were skewed in favour of Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Delta state out of the nine states that made up the commission.

The group pleaded with the president to reverse the trend because he violated the law establishing the NDDC and could threaten the functioning of the commission if not corrected.

“We, the Urashi Peoples Congress (UPC), an umbrella body for all oil-producing LGAs in Imo State, wish to draw your attention to the urgent need to correct the imbalanced leadership appointments of the NDDC.

“The appointment bias that has endured since the existence of the commission has taken on a critical and sensitive dimension that is very worrying.

“This development, if not corrected, is likely to threaten the operations and truncate the activities of the Commission,” the community noted in the open letter.

“In chronicling the beneficiaries of the imbalanced appointments, the community emphasized that; “It is relevant to inform you that a compromise has been found whereby the position would be turned within the nine oil-producing states.”

Uwakwe said, “The states are Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers.

“However, the appointments to key posts implicitly confirm that the post of chief executive of the commission, in particular, has been biased in favour of Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa and Delta.

“For the record, from 2001 to 2021, the list of directors-general and their states includes Dr Godwin Omene, Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, both from Delta state; Timi Alaibe, Bayelsa; Chibuzor Ugwuoha and Dr Christian Oboh, both from Rivers.

“Others are Nsima Ekere and Dan Abia, both from Akwa-Ibom; Nelson Brabaifa, Bayelsa; Joy Nunieh, Rivers; Kemebradikumo Pondei, Bayelsa; Okon Akwa, Akwa Ibom while the executive directors of finance/administration and project were only from these four states, ”he said.

“Your Excellency, the crux of the matter is that this particular section of the law has not been observed for the past 21 years the commission has come into being.

“This is because only the four states mentioned above have benefited from the leadership positions.

“The authorities have done this continuously without any member of the other five states complaining.

“Essentially, a quick review of subsequent appointments will further confirm that no one from Abia and Imo states has been appointed to leadership positions.

“Either as managing director or previously as executive directors,” Uwakwe added.

He explained that the mood of the Southeast NDDC members caught in this situation quickly turned to frustration, helplessness and discouragement.

“Sir, it is also imperative to note that the Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Ohaji / Egbema and Oguta in Imo have the highest gas field in all of West Africa, currently being explored by Seplat Energy Plc, SPDC and ANOH Gas Processing Company.

“These two LGAs at Imo house the largest number of oil wells and flow stations in Nigeria,” he said.

“We would like to draw your attention to the fact that this problem has crystallized into a worrying magnitude capable of disrupting activities in the Niger Delta and derailing the successes recorded by the Commission so far,” said the coordinator. (NAN)