Extremely disgusted with the lop sided posture in the appointment of executive directors and chairmen of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in which no Imo indegene has been appointed since the establishment of the commission in Nigeria, the Imo House of Assembly Committee’s Chairman on ISOPADEC/Oil and Gas, Hon. Henry Ezidiaro (Oguta) and his Deputy, Hon. Emma Orie (Ohaji/Egbema) have called on Imo Federal Lawmakers to prevail on the Federal Government to effect the appointment of an Imo indigene.
In a motion to urge the presidency through Imo State Representatives at the National Assembly, to checkmate the perceived attendant lopsidedness in the appointments into the administrative management of the Niger Delta Development Commission, sponsor of the motion, Hon. Ezediaro informed that whereas the Federal Government in 2000, upon an Act of the National Assembly established the NDDC to redress the injustices and inbalances in the infrastructural development of oil producing communities, an Imo indegene needs to be fielded to head the commission.
Also noting that section 4 of the NDDC Act stated that the offices of the chairman and managing director shall rotate among member-states in alphabetical order, commencing with Abia State and terminates with Rivers State, it is important for an Imo State origin be allowed to head the commission, even in acting capacity.
The lawmaker further, noted, while urging the State House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Acho Ihim to consider a resolution to that effect, which says that part 2, section 12 of the NDDC Act provides that, a managing directors and two executive director, who shall be indigenes of oil producing areas, starting with the member-states of the commission with the highest production quantum of oil, and shall rotate among member-states in order of production.
However, the ISOPADEC lawmakers, Hon. Ezediaro and Hon. Emma Orie regretted, during a press briefing shortly after House-plenary weekend, 2016, that Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa and Cross River States have produced chairman or managing directors to the exclusion of Imo and Edo States in the Commission.
The lawmakers pointed out that the imbalance in the infrastructural development of the oil producing communities and appointments of the Chairman and Managing Directors as it affects Imo State does not carry the ethics of promoting good governance, equity, justice and peace in the Niger Delta region.
Consequently, the State House of Assembly resolved to urge Imo Federal Lawmakers to draw the attention of the presidency over the implementation of the NDDC Act and the neglect of Imo State on appointment of a substantive managing director or chairman of Imo origin as well as the siting of infrastructural development projects in the state.
Source: Nigeria Newspoint
