Niger/Delta Group Pleads For Urgent Screening Of NDDC Board Nominees

By Ayodele Oni

Niger Delta Oil and Gas Producing Communities Forum, has urged the National Assembly to screen and confirm the nominees for the board of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

A statement on Wednesday, signed by Mulade Sheriff and Goodness Gereghewei, Chairman and Secretary, said this is to enable members commence work immediately and save the oil rich region of development.

“It would be recalled that Mr President  nominated Chairman and members of NDDC Board, on 29th August, 2023, subject to the senate screening and confirmation, for appointment into the NDDC Board, as enshrined in the ACT.

“However, since the Senate was on recess, nothing much has been done in that regard, and we expected that screening and confirmation of the NDDC nominees would be the first set to be screened and confirmed.

“Many thanks for this timely act to reposition the commission on the right track to attract development to our Oil and Gas Producing Communities in the region.

“We wish to strongly appeal to Mr President to kindly, as a matter of utmost importance, urge the Senate to screen and confirm these nominees for appointment to avoid a replay of nightmarish experience.

“It must be put on record that it’s still fresh in our minds when sole administrators and acting Managing Directors were appointed for the commission, which in turn deprived the people of development and economic growth in the region.

“We further wish to commend Mr President for picking some of the best and brightest as nominees on the new NDDC Board are persons of good reputations and integrity.

“We appeal to Mr President to kindly consider the constitution of the board as a matter of urgency by forwarding names of the nominees to the Senate for Screening/confirmation so that all the member States will be represented for effective delivery of development in the Region.”