Tony John, Port Harcourt
Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) has called on the Federal Government to initiate the process of constituting a substantive board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) that would perform all the functions provided by laws as the tenure of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) ends in December.
The group in a statement by its Secretary-General, Bari-ara Kpalap, in Port Harcourt Rivers State, yesterday, said the call became necessary because the current arrangement was an interim one, their functions limited, hence, communities covered by the NDDC were denied valuable opportunities and benefits.
MOSOP maintained that with a substantive board with full powers, the commission would increase peace and security in the Niger Delta region.
“It is for this reason that we would suggest reconsideration of earlier nominations to accelerate the completion of the process.
“In view of development challenges faced by local communities, which, NDDC intervention would have addressed, constituting a substantive leadership of the agency with full powers would not only enhance opportunities for the people, but would also increase peace and security in the communities.
“For now, these benefits are missing; hence, we would once more entreat the Nigerian government to consider constituting the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission as soon as the tenure of the IMC expires,” MOSOP said.