Government Ekpemupolo, better known as Tompolo, says he has
“reluctantly” agreed to allow the process of constituting a board for the Niger
Delta Development Commission (NDDC) till the end of June.
President Muhammadu Buhari had, in 2019, ordered a forensic
audit of the NDDC’s operations, which uncovered allegations of mismanagement of
funds.
Kemebradikumo Pondei, acting managing director of the
commission at the time, was eventually sacked, and in December 2020, the
president appointed Effiong Akwa as new head of the agency.
However, a new board is yet to be constituted for the commission, following the dissolution of the previous one in January 2020.
Akpabio had visited Delta state to plead with Tompolo over a
seven-day ultimatum issued in May for President Muhammadu Buhari to constitute
the NDDC board or face a complete breakdown of law and order in the south-south
region.
After the visit, Akpabio disclosed that the meeting was
fruitful and promised to commence and fast-track the process.
In a statement on Saturday, Tompolo said that he got
involved in the matter because of his love for the region and Nigeria.
“I welcomed the consultative meeting of our revered
traditional rulers from the region, Delta State Government, the Ijaw National
Congress (INC) led by its President, Professor Benjamin Okaba, leaders from the
Itsekiri, Urhobo, Isoko, Ndokwa and other Nationalities with the Minister of
the Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Akpabio in attendance, at the traditional
headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Oporoza town on Thursday June 3rd, 2021,” he
said.
Tompolo said Akpabio had promised to constitute the board
immediately, adding that the minister had asked that the process be allowed
till the end of June to be completed.
Tompolo said he had reluctantly agreed to this in order to
maintain peace in the region.
“The outcome of the meeting has been made known to the
public by the Minister. He promised profusely to start the process of the
constitution and inauguration of the substantive board of the NDDC immediately
(from Friday, June 4th, 2021), and that he should be allowed to drive the
process to an end on or before the end of June 2021,” the statement reads.
“As it stands now, I
have accepted the outcome of the meeting reluctantly. It is pertinent to state
at this juncture that I do not want anything to disrupt the relative peace we
are enjoying in the region.
“It was on this premise that I accepted the outcome of the
meeting. The ultimate goal in this issue is for the Minister to abide by the
promise he has made to start the process of constituting the NDDC board now.
Government shenanigans must be put away in this matter, as constituting the
NDDC board is very dear to the heart of the people of the region.”
He thanked everyone who played a part in the resolution,
saying “it is my prayer that the needful be done to develop the Niger Delta
region as seen in advanced climes.”
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