NDDC Board: Act in Niger Delta’s interest, South South elders tell Buhari

The South South Elders Progressive Forum on Tuesday urged President Buhari to abide by the provisions of the Niger Delta Development Commission in appointing a new board.

In a statement signed by its chairman, Promise Okpolo and Coordinator, Community Relations, Anderson Etiewo, the forum noted that inauguration of a new board is important to maintain peace in the region.

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The forum, however, rejected the nominees screened by the Senate in 2019.

It expressed support for strict adherence to the NDDC Establishment Act by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, in the nomination of fresh candidates for the new board “expected to be inaugurated soon, with Dr Cairo Ojougbo as chairman and Elder Deinyanbofa Dimaro, Managing Director, among others.

The forum reiterated that composition of a substantive board for the NDDC should reflect representation and participation of the nine states in the NDDC Act.

It described appointment of an Interim Management Committee or an Interim Sole Administrator as an aberration “and should be discouraged to sustain the fragile peace in the region.”