Don’t Engage Sacked EDs, Group Warns NDDC Boss

Sylvester Idowu in Warri

The Community Development Committees of Oil and Gas Producing Areas in the Niger Delta (CDC) has warned the Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, not to engage any of the sacked Executive Directors in the management of the interventionist agency.

The group, while commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the dissolution of all boards of institutions and agencies including that of the NDDC, leaving its Managing Director, said it was against alleged move by Ogbuku to engage some of the sacked directors in the running of the agency.

The Community Development Committes of Oil and Gas Producing Areas of the Niger Delta, in a statement issued yesterday, which was signed by its Chairman, Board of Trustees, Joseph Ambadekerimo, charged Ogbuku to take responsibility for all decisions taking in the running of the agency in the absence of a substantive board.

 “The announcement made by the federal government directing boards of government institutions and agencies to dissolve was the right step in the right direction save for the NDDC who’s board was just inaugurated a couple of months back.

“The NDDC would have been spared taking into cognisance of the commission’s long existence without any board for about four years until January this year when a new board was inaugurated.

“However going forward with the magnanimity of President Bola Tinubu, the substantive Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku has been directed by the Secretary to the Federal government vide a letter to take charge of affairs of the NDDC until another substantive board is appointed. We thank the President for this noble act.

“While we applauded the federal government for retaining Dr. Samuel Ogbuku to take charge going forward, the President must have recognised  that the vision of the Dr. Samuel Ogbuku for the region is in tandem with President Bola Tinubu’s vision for the Niger Delta region”, it added.

The group however reminded the Managing Director about the fall out of the meeting he recently had with staff of the commission during which he planned to engage the services of two ex- executive directors to assist him in running the agency contrary to laid down rules.

“We want to remind Dr Samuel Ogbuku about the fall out of the meeting with staff of the commission which is a signal that the action of the Managing Director does not conform with laid down rules of engagement of appointments of officers into Executive positions of boards and Parastatals of government. The two other Executive Directors have been removed and they so stand removed until they may be considered for reappointment only by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

 “Information coming out of the meeting alluding to the statement made by the Managing Director that he will work with the removed  Executive Directors smacks of insubordination  to President Bola Tinubu’s directive as issued by the Secretary to the government of the federation Dr. George Akume on the 19th of June, 2023”, it stated.