Resist Pressure to Sack NDDC Boss, Ogbuku, Group Urges Tinubu

Sylvester Idowu in Warri

South-South Reawakening Group (SSRG), one of the foremost pressure groups in the Niger Delta region, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu not to heed renew calls for the sack of Dr. Samuel Ogbuku leadership of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) by some people

SSRG described those behind the latest agitations for the sack of the Commission’s Managing Director as buccaneers who were bent on perpetually keeping the region underdeveloped and in turmoil.

In a statement issued in Warri, yesterday, and signed by its Convener, Mr. Joseph Ambakederimo, the group maintained the need to abide by the provisions in the NDDC Act which was paramount and remains sacrosanct noting that incessant political interference affects the operations of the Commission.

The group said: “We have warned before that incessant political interference is responsible for the stuttering jerks the NDDC has suffered in the past, wherein we have continued to blame appointed persons of non-performance even when these appointed persons will barely stay in office to complete their tenure.

“This trend is fast becoming a tradition in the NDDC and should be condemned and resisted by all well-meaning Nigerians, particularly the people of the region whom the NDDC is established to cater for.”

The group said it was compelled to issue another statement again to reinforce its earlier position made last year calling on the President to safeguard and protect the sanctity of the statutory provisions as contained in the NDDC Act regarding the tenure of the office of the leadership of the new NDDC board and board of management to have a very clear path to sustainable development of the region, and to also preserve the peace in the region.

“Our position is strengthened on the face of subterranean moves by certain unidentified persons who are bent on perpetually keeping the region underdeveloped and in turmoil.

“A tenure should be allowed to run its full course; it is only on this premise that we can have stability in the region because the person’s so appointed will remain focused to deliver on their mandate”, it added.

SSRG noted that the present board has already achieved reviving and bringing a new and focused NDDC where things were done differently from the past.

It added that ambience of the work environment was a testament and a departure of rancorous system that was in place before the advent of the present board.

“We can see the hands of the buccaneers already at work. There is no place for interim management in the NDDC Act and never should we allow such aberration to rear its ugly head again. Those whose stock in trade is to destabilize the region for personal gains should desist forthwith.

“The Sam Ogbuku leadership should be allowed to run its full course. It is only when a government appointee completes the full tenure of office as stipulated in the act setting up such agency of government that we can have continuity and even hold such persons so appointed to such position to account”, it added.

The group urged the people of the region to copy from the North East Development Commission (NEDC) which has been having a stable leadership since its establishment by the federal government.

“We urge our people at this time to be circumspect and take a leaf from the North East Development Commission NEDC and it’s leadership since it was established.

“The leadership turn-over is astronomical in the NDDC when compared to that of the NEDC and this is not altruistic or to the benefit of the region and its people. Too much politics is clogging the progress of NDDC, the earlier we desist from this path the better it will be for the region.

“The partnership and collaborative policy direction initiatives being imbibed by the management team is the panacea for sustainable development of the region which stakeholders have also applauded and been supportive. Youths and women of the region are mobilized for purposes of entrepreneurial skills acquisition in diverse fields and development which will set the tone for future pool of business people are been pursued aggressively”, it added.

SSRG called on the people of the Niger Delta, within and without, to work together to stabilise the NDDC rather cause confusion, noting that the line of thought should be to maintain the stability of the region for the petrol dollar to continue to flow unhindered to the benefit of the country and the region.

“President Bola Tinubu is trying hard to bring stability in many sectors of the economy including the Niger Delta region. The President believes that once we have peace and stability in the Niger Delta region, various sectors of the economy will be stabilized and indeed the country.

“This is the line of thoughts of the Samuel Ogbuku-led management team which has already keyed into the President’s vision for the region”, it added.