By Akanimo Sampson
Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has come under intense bombardment by Governors of the South-South geo-political zone, who are also making a serious case for oil-bearing communities.
Chairman of the South-South Governors Forum and Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, describes as worrisome the running of the interventionist agency in over a year by an Interim Caretaker Committee, and currently, an interim administrator.
According to him, the situation does not augur well for the peoples of the oil and gas region as opportunity for all oil-producing states to be represented as they ought to be represented in the board of the NDDC does not exist.
While the governors are demanding an upward review of the provision of 2.5 percent as Host Community Trust Fund in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) to 10 percent in the best interest of oil communities and Nigeria, they also advised President Mohammadu Buhari that in the absence of NDDC board, funds for the commission beyond the payment of salaries should be put in an escrow account until he constitutes the board.
Governor Okowa, made this decision public at the end of the Forum’s meeting which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Monday night.
“We took up the issue of the PIB which is already before the National Assembly and having compared notes with ourselves, we are of the view that while we welcome the Host Community Trust Fund, we do believe that the 2.5 percent that is appropriated in that bill for the purpose of host community fund is inadequate.
“We have discussed with our people and collectively as leaders of the people in our various States and as leaders standing in on behalf of our people, we urge that the National Assembly should increase the provision in the host community fund from 2.5 percent to 10 percent in the best interest of our communities, in the best interest of our nation.”
The governors maintained that the communities have a role to play in the surveillance of the nation’s oil facilities and pipeline network.
They expressed the belief that if the communities feel satisfied with provision of funds for them in the PIB, they are more likely going to be watchdog on behalf of the federal government, the States and oil companies.
“And the peaceful environment that would be seen in the various oil communities would enable us to have greater production and a seamless production in which we do not have any form disruption in our oil productions going into the future.
“So, it means that the NDDC is actually run in such a matter that it is actually not truly beneficial to our people, because there is no stakeholders’ input in the running of the affairs of NDDC.
‘’We do know that there is a forensic audit taking place and if that reason the board has not been constituted, our advise is that monies being sent to the NDDC should be put in an escrow account until a board is constituted.
‘’Proper processes should be followed in the expenditure of the money in such a way it will be visibly accountable in the best interest of the peoples of the Niger Delta”, the South-South governors chair said.
They are demanding that whenever NDDC board is constituted, the advisory council must be called upon to place its role to ensure there is check and balance in such a matter that the States will truly have value for money expended by the NDDC.
“A situation where we begin to have emergency projects that possibly will not last three to six months is not right, we don’t feel happy about it and we are urging Mr President to ensure that if the board is not going to be immediately constituted, then funds for the NDDC beyond the payment of salaries should be put on hold until he constitutes the board and the board can now run the finances of the NDDC as per the law creating the NDDC.
“We feel already short changed as a people in the Niger Delta, and we believe that we do not wish to see this kind of situation continue going forward into the future, because our people feel the pains, we do not want a situation where there is an abuse of processes, neither should we have a situation where we have abuse of funds.
“We believe that it is best for both the country, for the states of the Niger Delta and for the people of the Niger Delta when the due process is followed by the reconstitution of the board and also in reconstituting the board, that the reconstituted funds should come in and have funds to spend as per the law.”
He stressed that the demands of the governors have been made based on the interest of Nigeria, the States and more importantly in the interest of various communities of the Niger Delta.
Also present at the meeting were Nyesom Wike (Rivers); Godwin Obaseki (Edo State), Douye Diri (Bayelsa State), Deputy Governor of Akwa-Ibom State, Moses Ekpo, who represented Governor Udom Emmanuel.
