Monarchs, youths urge FG, IOCs to release NDDC’s $5.6b

Traditional rulers and youth groups in Niger Delta have urged the Federal Government and International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in the region to release the accumulated monies owed to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

According to them, the release of the monies will allow the new Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Umana Okon Umana, to reposition and implement the board’s newly developed roadmap.

The stakeholders said under the former minister, Godswill Akpabio, the NDDC was owed about $5.6 billion and N649 billion by the oil companies.

They warned that the new roadmap developed by the new minister to achieve the commission’s core mandates might not work, “if the NDDC is not removed from its life support approach, because what the commission receives monthly is just enough to pay salaries and maintain the office.”

Comprising traditional rulers, chiefs, women and youth leaders, the group, in a statement issued by its Secretary-General, Chief Anthony Loveday, noted that the call on the Federal Government and oil companies were necessitated by the short time available to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and the worrisome reality that the roadmap developed by Umana might not be implemented without proper funding.

They also restated their support for the expected rebranding of the commission to serve as a vehicle to drive the socio-economic development of the region.

“The leadership must understand that time is of the essence, as millions of people across the region are languishing in abject poverty. Therefore, the Federal Government should match its words with action and release the funds owed to the NDDC and direct the multinational oil and gas companies to release the monies owed to the commission.

“We support the new policy direction and the expected rebranding of the commission under Umana. We are waiting on the Federal Government to release the funds for the expected reforms to commence. We expect the reforms to lead to sound decisions on various issues affecting the people of the region, including the completion of the East-West road and the review of various infrastructural development projects across the region,” they stated.

The stakeholders applauded the minister and the management team at the NDDC for prioritising project execution and payments that make the most impact on the region, as well as the latest focus in project execution.

They welcomed the minister’s directive that any further award of contracts on water hyacinths in the Niger Delta should be suspended, while all ongoing projects are reviewed.