Lawmakers urged to amend NDDC Act

The National Assembly has been urged to amend the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Establishment Act.

Legal luminary, Mr. Ebun-olu Adegboruwa, SAN, made the call while delivering his keynote address at the commission’s Directorate of Legal Service retreat, themed ‘Repositioning Legal Services for Optimal Impact in the Public sector’ held in Lagos.

Adegboruwa stressed that the commission’s Act is replete with lacuna and controversies, hence the need for an amendment.

“For instance, we want to know whether appointment into the NDDC board should be restricted to the indigenes of the oil-producing areas or whether the people from non-oil producing areas should also be entitled.

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“There are many court cases on this point.

“We want to also ensure that the Act is amended in such a way as to ensure performance, especially in the issue of eliminating hydra-headed monsters of abandoned projects. That is what I mean by ensuring we amend,” he said.

He added that the amendment would help to state clearly the appointment of managing director into the commission’s board, saying that the current law talks about rotation between the oil-producing states.

“There are some states that are producing oil that have never emerged as managing director of the NDDC. Those matters should be specific and not left in the issue of doubt,” he said.

He urged the commission to improve the welfare of staff members.

The commission’s director, Legal Services, Stephen Ighomuaye, said the essence of the retreat was to train the legal service unit.

“The current management recognises the need for training and retraining to be approved for the staff directorates to come together and reposition themselves.

“We believe that the problems of the region will be properly taken care of if legal service is positioned to do its work,” he said.