By Daniel Abia

Rights group, Niger Delta Rights Advocate, NDRA, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to set up a presidential monitoring committee to oversee the daily activities of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, and report same on regular basis.

The group demanded that accountability and performance by the Commission should be strengthened by Government through activating Part 6 Section 21 of the Establishment Act 2000 by appointing a Monitoring Committee for the NDDC to monitor the management of funds, implementation of projects and have unhindered access to the record books of the Commission and reporting to the President regularly.

“We demand that accountability and performance by the Niger Delta Development Commission be strengthened by the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR through activating Part 6 Section 21 of the Establishment Act 2000 by appointing a Presidential Monitoring Committee for the NDDC to monitor the management of funds, implementation of projects and have unhindered access to the record books of the Commission”.

NDRA promised that it shall in the coming days publish details of billions of naira credited to the NDDC via 50% of Ecological funds due member states, 15% of total monthly allocations due member states and 3% of total annual budget of Oil companies and gas processing companies.

In a communique jointly signed by Hon Bright Ngolo, Chairman, NDRA, Darlington Nwauju, stakeholder among others, the group regretted the recent appointment of Ministers of the Niger Delta region across the nine (9) states which it said was centered around “recycled politicians from the region with the exception of Hon Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo (Minister for Interior)”.

The group however called on Tunji-Ojo to re-enact his stellar performance as a representative of his people, most especially the reform he introduced to the style of doing business in the NDDC when he chaired the House of Representatives Committee on NDDC.

“We appeal to Mr President and Commander-in-Chief, Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, to consider for appointment an individual with the requisite understanding of the nuances of the youth constituency, coupled with experience to liaise and coordinate the diverse blocs/interest groups of this unique constituency like the APC youth leaders, NANS, NYCN. Moreover, the grass root acceptability/contributions is vital for the would-be appointee not an Abuja-based politician.

“We further appeal that a former Students Union President of ABU Zaria, former Chairman of NANS Convention Committee, former Secretary of the disbanded Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council in Taraba state who also served as Coordinator of all NGO Support Groups for Tinubu/Shettima 2023 in Taraba state; a former aspirant to the National Secretary position of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nigeria, Barrister Mustapha Bello Mohammed, be considered for this position of Minister for Youth of the Federal Republic. Our call is an exemplary demonstration of the much trumpeted hand shake across the Niger, reinforcement of our belief in a United Nigeria and the recognition of hard work and merit beyond religious, regional or ethnic sentiment.