SaharaReporters reported exclusively on Saturday, November 11, that the NDDC Board members secretly resumed duties in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, without any official inauguration, and already started holding meetings.
The members of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Board recently appointed by President Bola Tinubu will be inaugurated on Thursday, November 16, 2023 after they had resumed sitting.
SaharaReporters reported exclusively on Saturday, November 11, that the NDDC Board members secretly resumed duties in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, without any official inauguration, and already started holding meetings.
According to the report the board members led by Samuel Ogbuku (Managing Director/CEO –Bayelsa State), Boma Iyaye (Executive Director; Finance and Admin. –Rivers), Victor Antai (Executive Director, Projects – Akwa-Ibom), and Ifedayo Abegunde (Executive Director; Corporate Services – Ondo) held a meeting last Tuesday with the NDDC workers and fixed another one for next Tuesday despite not being officially inaugurated yet by the government.
They further shared new vehicles among themselves in breach of the laws governing the board.
However, after the report of SaharaReporters, the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs on Monday, November 13, announced the inauguration of the board members on Thursday in letter to the Acting Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The letter SaharaReporters obtained on Tuesday with ref: MNDA/PRS/502/S.I/I/T/74, signed by Unanaowo P. Abla, Director Planning, Research & Statistics for the Minister is titled: "Invitation To The Inauguration Of The Newly Constituted Board Of The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)."
The letter partly read: "Following the recent confirmation and clearance of the newly constituted board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) by the Senate, the President has further granted approval for the inauguration of the Board to commence work immediately.
"Accordingly, you are hereby kindly requested to invite the Board members to attend the inauguration, which has been scheduled to hold as Thursday, November 16, 2023 at the Honourable Minister's Conference Room, Ministry of Niger Delta Development, 11th Floor, Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase I, Abuja at 12 Noon Prompt.
"While looking forward to receiving all Board Members at the occasion, please accept the esteemed regards of the Honourable Minister," it reads.
On August 29, President Tinubu approved the appointment of a new board and management of the NDDC.
The President had disbanded the former board and management of the NDDC led by Lauretta Onochie.
The President subsequently approved the appointment of a new board and management of the NDDC, to be led by Chiedu Ebie from Delta State as the chairman.
The Senate and the House of Representatives have been at loggerheads over the screening and confirmation of the nominees.
The House of Representatives has halted the inauguration of the board and management of the commission screened and cleared by the Senate.
After the confirmation of the nominees, with Mr. Sam Ogboku as Managing Director and Mr. Chiedu Ibie as Chairman of the Board, the Senate transmitted a letter to the Presidency to inaugurate the appointees as a prelude to the resumption of their official engagements.
The appointees include Chiedu Ebie (Chairman –Delta), Samuel Ogbuku (Managing Director/CEO –Bayelsa), Boma Iyaye (Executive Director; Finance and Admin. –Rivers), Victor Antai (Executive Director, Projects – Akwa-Ibom), Ifedayo Abegunde (Executive Director; Corporate Services – Ondo), and Dimaro Denyanbofa (rtate representative –Bayelsa).
Others are Abasi Nkono (state representative – Akwa Ibom), Monday Igbuya (state representative –Delta), Tony Okocha (state representative – Rivers), Patrick Aisowieren (state representative – Edo), Kyrian Uchegbu (state representative –Imo), Victor Kolade Akinjo (state representative –Ondo), Dimgba Eruba (state representative –Abia) and Asu Oku Okang (state representative –Cross River) are others.
The three zonal members of the board are Nick Wende (zonal representative, North-Central), Namdas Abdulrazak (zonal representative, North-East, and Ibrahim Abdullahi Gobir (zonal representative, North-West).