Hundreds of protesters from Ndokwa and Oshimili communities in Delta North stormed the state’s Government House and House of Assembly in Asaba, urging the governor and the state legislature to intervene in the perceived lopsided appointments into the Niger Delta Development Commission.
In a letter presented to the governor and Speaker through proxies, they called on President Muhammadu Buhari to reconsider the appointments and allow Ndokwa ethnic nationality to produce the next managing director and Delta state representative in the new board.
The protesters also demanded the board chairmanship position be returned to Delta state in line with the spirit and letter of the Act setting up the NDDC board, arguing that it was yet to be the turn of Edo state.
Displaying placards with different inscriptions, the communities regretted that since the inception of NDDC 19 years ago, Ndokwa nation with the largest gas reserve in West Africa has never had any representative from Delta state in the board.
A letter addressed to Gov Ifeanyi Okowa and signed by the Organising Chairman of the communities, Mr John Obi and the Secretary, Barr Ben Elu said other ethnic nationalities, like the Urhobos have had five positions including managing director, executive directors and commissioners; lsoko four positions, ljaw four positions; Itsekiri three while Ndokwa-Ndoshimili had none.
The group also recalled that the Senate Deputy President, minister of state Niger Delta affairs and chairman NSITF and the out-going executive director of NDDC are all Urhobos adding that Ndokwa is next to Urhobo in terms of population in the state.
Receiving the protesters at the Government House, Senior Political Adviser to the governor, Rt. Hon. Funkekeme Solomon, said government was not oblivious of their plights even as governors of the Niger Delta states were already addressing the issues of the board’s appointments.
He stressed that traditional rulers from the protesting communities had met with him and expressed their grievances on the matter, disclosing that the governor has mandated his office to articulate the grievances for onward transmission to the presidency.
