Finally, FG Inaugurates NDDC’s Governing Board

•Threatens severe sanctions for breach of contract approval limits

•Onochie seeks support

•Ondo community asks court to stop board’s inauguration

Alex Enumah in Abuja

After over three years of flip-flops, the federal government yesterday inaugurated the Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The new board has as its Chairman, former aide to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mrs. Lauretta Onochie and Chief Samuel Ogbukwu as Managing Director.

The inauguration, which came barely few months to the end of the tenure of the Buhari’s Administration, has being enmeshed in numerous crisis with pending court cases at the Federal High Court.

Inaugurating the board in Abuja, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Umana Umana, urged the board to immediately hit the ground running by implementing recommendations of the Report of the Forensic Audit of the Commission carried out in 2019.

Umana specifically charged the board to look into, “allegations of irregular employment from 2019 and follow up on the ongoing personal audit in the Commission to make sure all cases of employment during the period under review were in accordance with extant rules and regulations of the service.”

Besides, the minister stressed the need for the board and the management to strictly adhere by the procurement Act as well as the financial regulations to ensure prudence in the management of limited resources.

“Every contract above the threshold of management is to be referred to the Ministerial Tender Board of the Federal Executive Council.

“Any breach of contract approval limits will attract severe sanctions.”

Umana, who encouraged members to focus on the completion of ongoing projects, advised them to shun the lure of the “award of spurious and indiscriminate new contracts”, so as to help in repairing the negative public perception of the NDDC.

In his remarks, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, noted that the Inauguration of the new board would not have been possible without the collaboration of the National Assembly.

Mustapha, who was represented by a former Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Habiba Lawal, accordingly charged members of the new board to bring all their expertise to bear to transform the lives and environment of the region.

He added that the board should endeavour to be transparent and follow due diligence in all its activities so as to restore the hope and resilience of the Niger Delta people in the Commission.

Meanwhile, new Chairman of the board, Ms. Lauretta Onochie, has appealed to Nigerians, especially people from the Niger Delta region to accord them the necessary support needed to deliver on their mandates.

She assured that the board has put in place a template for the speedy development of the socioeconomic development of the region.

While assuring of positive changes, Onochie noted that, “we cannot continue to work with failed templates and get a different result.”

She said, “we are going to do things totally different so that the people of Niger Delta can benefit from what Nigeria has been investing in the region. In the past many investments in the Niger Delta have found its way to Abuja, London, Dubai and elsewhere.”

Onochie added that part of the new board’s goal was to change the narratives from the current situation where youths sought for Special Assistants (SAs) jobs to being employers of labour.

She added that the Buhari’s administration was committed to youth development and would do everything possible to equip youths in the region with necessary skills to compete with their peers from other climes.

Meanwhile, major stakeholders in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State have asked the Federal High Court, Abuja, to stop President Muhammadu Buhari from inaugurating the Governing Board of the NDDC, pending the hearing and determination of the suit challenging the nomination of Mr. Charles Ogunmola as the Executive Director, Projects of the NDDC.

The plaintiffs in the case led by the former Clerk of the National Assembly and also Chairman Board of Trustees of Ugboland Development Congress, Oluyemi Ogunyomi, Mr. Adebowale Karaki and Dr. Mann Ali, trustee and Secretary of Ugboland Development Congress, respectively, predicated the case on the grounds that Ogunmola is from Owo in the Northern axis of Ondo State and not an indigene of the oil producing area of the State.

While other plaintiffs are Incorporated Trustees of Ilaje Advancement Forum, Mr. Idowu Mafimisebi, Mr. Olaniran Obele and Mr. Ige Asemudara, defendants include President Muhammadu Buhari, the National Assembly, the Senate, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Mr. Charles B. Ogunmola.

In the suit filed on January 3, 2023, by Senior Advocate of Nigeria and human rights activist Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, the plaintiffs are seeking an order of injunction to restrain the president from inaugurating, recognising or dealing with Ogunmola as the Executive Director, Projects of the NDDC since he was not an indigene of the oil producing area of the state.

 Specifically, the plaintiffs are seeking, “an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the 1st – 4th respondents whether by themselves, their servants or agents and/ or privies from taking any step or further step in treating and/ or dealing with or in any manner according the 5th respondent the status of Executive Director of Projects of the Niger-Delta Development Commission, pending the hearing and final determination of the Originating Summons herein.”

They also asked for another order restraining the 5th Respondent from presenting himself out or in any manner parading himself or performing the functions and duties of Executive Director of Projects of the Niger-Delta Development Commission, pending the hearing and final determination of the Originating Summons herein.

Plaintiffs further sought an order directing the parties herein, whether by themselves, their agents, servants or otherwise howsoever to maintain the status quo ante bellum in respect of the exercise of the statutory duties of the 1st and 3rd Respondents in appointment of an Executive Director of Projects of the NDDC, pending the hearing and final determination of the suit.

According to the plaintiffs the appointment of Ogunmola violated Section 12 (1) of the NDDC Act which specifically stated that the Managing Director and the Executive Directors of the NDDC must be indigenes of the oil producing areas.

The plaintiffs in the affidavit in support of the suit deposed to by Mr. Adebowale Karaki, claimed that Ogunmola had been rejected by the oil producing areas of Ondo State, by the legislators representing Ondo State in the National Assembly and also by the entire people of Ondo State through the Governor of the State who has openly supported his rejection.

The plaintiffs stated further that being the first time an executive appointment of the NDDC would be zoned to Ondo State, it would amount to grave injustice for the oil producing areas of the state to be shortchanged by denying them the opportunity, stressing that Ogunmola was not suitably qualified to administer projects and feel the pains and anguish of the people directly affected by the impact of oil production and exploration.

No date has been assigned for the hearing of the suit, which has been served upon the President and the Attorney-General of the Federation.