Odeli: Itsekiri Not Benefiting from NDDC Budgets, 13% Derivation

Sylvester Idowu in Warri

Chairman of Tisun Community Management Council, Warri North Council, Delta State, David Odeli, has lamented that the budgetary provisions to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was not reflecting in Itsekiri oil and gas bearing areas of the state.

Similarly, he said the 13 per cent derivation supposedly meant for the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) over the years did not reflect in Itsekiri coastal communities in the state.

The community leader, in a statement, stated that the NDDC had deviated from its constitutional responsibilities to providing political services to individuals in the Niger Delta.

He stated that the NDDC offers low grade services to areas that have no constitutional links to the commission, neglecting people of the oil and gas bearing communities.

According to Odeli, the budgetary provisions to NDDC was not reflecting in the Itsekiri oil and gas bearing coastal communities and the urban communities, from Ugborodo shore protection.

He also listed Orere shore protection and reclamation, Ogheye shore protection as well as reclamation to Ugbege line,  to Ototo boundary with Awoye in Ondo state as areas that were not feeling the impact of the NDDC.

“The Tisun/ Kolokolo six-kilometre road and reclamation projects as well as sand-filling of Eghoro community, Ebrohimi/Obaghoro link road and electrification projects, are some of the critical projects in Itsekiri coastal communities in Delta state abandoned by the NDDC over the years.

“The NDDC and 13 per cent derivation for DESOPADEC were setup to provide the infrastructural and human capital developmental needs of oil and gas bearing communities, but the reverse is the case as at today, because both agencies have failed in their responsibilities, ”he said.