NDDC Top Job: Group Campaigns for Eket

NDDC Top Job: Group Campaigns for Eket

Community Watch Nigeria (CWN), a community-based group in the Niger Delta, Nigeria's oil and gas region, is campaigning for the Eket axis of the oil basin to produce either the Managing Director or Executive Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Spokesman of the group, Samingo Etukakpan, told AkanimoReports in an interview at Eket yesterday that the time has come for the area to produce a key figure in the development agency that has been largely impeded by high level corruption.

According to them, the composition of the NDDC board as stipulated by the Act establishing the commission states that key positions should rotate round an acceptable module of equity among member states comprising, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers.

“The chairmanship position of the commission rotates round member states in alphabetical order, though its appointment is as directed by the Presidency while the Managing Director and other directors are appointed based on quantum of oil production of member states”.t.

Continuing, they said the Precisely on Tuesday, September 13, 2011, dissolved the board of the interventionist agency under the leadership of retired Air vice Marshal Larry Koinya.

“Eket Local Government Area as one of the oil producing areas in Akwa Ibom State since the inception of the commission, and from the days of OMPADEC has never produced any Commissioner or Executive Director of Projects even when consistent calls have been made by the people of the area for the abnormality to be redressed”, the group said.

They pointed out that other oil producing local government areas like Onna, Ibeno, Esit Eket, Ikot Abasi and Mkpat Enin have produced Commissioners/Directors in the board, adding, “now that the commission has been dissolved, Eket Local Government Area should be given priority in the appointment of Executive Director Project in the board of the NDDC”.

The community group is therefore calling on President Jonathan and Governor Godswill Obot Akpabio, to correct what they described as ”glaring injustice” meted out to the people of Eket.

According to them, “even at the height of the struggle for justice in the Niger Delta region, Eket has always been a peace area to the detriment of their economic advancement.

“We are aware that Governor Akpabio as a detribalized leader and a product of political equity holds the ace in the appointment of a state representative in the NDDC and we are also aware that the late Paramount Ruler of Eket, T.P. Enodien had some years back pleaded with the governor to give Eket its due position in the commission. But, for political reasons best known to the governor, the royal father’s legitimate request was ignored”.

“Eket Local Government Area voted massively for President Jonathan and Governor Akpabio’s first and second term and has been supportive of their administrations. It is therefore, justifiable for President Jonathan to beam his searchlight on Eket with a view for the position of Managing Director or Executive Director of Projects of the NDDC”, they said.

ENDS

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