Mulade canvasses for timely swearing-in of NDDC board

By Hannah Nathan, Warri

Niger Delta Oil and Gas Producing Communities Forum has canvassed for timely swearing-in of the recent cleared board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC to expedite the transformation of the region.

In a press statement signed by Chief Mulade Sheriff and Hon. Goodness Gereghewei, as Chairman and Secretary, respectively, from Delta and Bayelsa States disclosed this on Wednesday.

The statement reads, “Firstly, we wish to congratulate our amiable President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on his victory at the Presidential poll and the recent victory at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

“We the representatives and leaders of the Niger Delta Oil and Gas Producing Communities Forum wish to appreciate Mr. President for nominating the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Board Members across her member states, in accordance with the NDDC ACT, 2000, in order to constitute the Board on time. Many thanks for this timely act to reposition the commission on the right track to attract develop to our Oil and Gas Producing Communities in the region.

Recall, Mr President nominated fresh 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 of nominees to be screened and confirmed.

“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 of the commission, which in turn deprived the people of development and economic growth in the region.

“Finally, we further wish to commend Mr President for picking some of the best 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 and forward the nominees list to the Senate for Screening/confirmation so that the Board could be fully represented by all the member States for effective delivery of development in the Region”, the statement reads.