Constitute NDDC board now -IPDI writes Tinubu

•Threatens mass protest

•Seeks appointment of next MD from Delta State

By Sunday Onye, senior correspondent

Renowned socio-cultural group, the Ijaw People’s Development Initiative, IPDI has called on president Bola Ahmed Tinubu to as a matter of urgency constitute a new substantive board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC for effective and efficient management of the funds meant to develop the region to avoid mass protest and shut down of the activities of the commission.

This was according to a statement by the group’s National President, Comrade Ozobo Austin on Sunday.

The group while making emphasis on how the commission had been turned to a cash cow, said the tenure of the current 3-man board had elapsed, stating that new board with state representatives should be inaugurated without further delay.

The group further argued that it was Delta’s turn to produce the next Managing Director of the commission, stating that the Act establishing the NDDC should be strictly followed in inaugurating the new board to avoid fresh hostilities.

Ozobo warned Tinubu against aiding and abetting corrupt practices in the commission, stressing that so much funds meant for the development of the region had been diverted with the help of previous mischievous administrations.

He also urged president Tinubu to support the completion of the fleet of abandon NDDC projects in the Niger Delta, adding that the commission over some years had been turned to a commission for government officials and cabal.

The group said urgent step was needed to revamp the commission to provide effective and efficient service to abridged the developmental deficit of Niger Delta, adding that the indigenes of the region had begun to loose confidence in the commission’s capacity to deliver its mandate.

The statement reads, “we will go on with mass protest to shut down activities of the commission’s headquarters in Portharcouurt if this call fall on deaf ear of Mr president”.