By Edu Abade
The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the South-South apex socio-political group, the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has canvassed the establishment of the South-South Development Commission (SSDC) through legislation to further accelerate the development of the geo-political zone.
A former Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Co-Chairman of the BoT, Obong Victor Attah, made the demand recently after an emergency meeting in Abuja to discuss urgent matters of national concern and of prime interest to the Niger Delta region.
The meeting, which was well attended by a broad spectrum of the political, economic and social leadership of the region, included several former governors, former members of the National Assembly, former ministers, retired service chiefs and other national leaders were in attendance.
Several chairmen of councils of traditional rulers from the six states of the South-South, National Chairman of PANDEF, Ambassador (Dr.) Godknows Igali, as well as members of the National Executive and representatives of women and youth groups all attended the summit.
Insisting that the South-South is in dire need of greater development, the group commended the governors of the region for their efforts in working towards sustainable development of the area, despite the very difficult terrain and environmental circumstances which most of them have to grapple with.
In a communiqué signed by its National Spokesman, Chief Obiuwevbi Ominimini, PANDEF observes with great concern the fact that the Bill for the establishment of the South-South Development Commission (SSDC) which, after its passage by the National Assembly was submitted to the President at the same time as others is yet to be signed into law.
“We subscribe to the desire for a development commission for the six geographic zones of the country without exception and therefore, view the withholding of assent as a grave oversight or error, capable of creating a feeling of exclusion and dejection on the part of the people of the South-South.
“Failure to sign the Bill leaves the South-South region orphaned within the broader context of regional development commissions, which include the North East Development Commission (NEDC), North West Development Commission (NWDC), South-West Development Commission (SWDC), South-East Development Commission (SEDC), North Central Development Commission (NCDC), all of which are now legal entities.
“The non-signing of the law could have a negative impact on the present state of peace which exists in the Niger Delta and the favourable environment, which it creates for the upsurge in the production of oil and gas in the country,” the communiqué reads.
The PANDEF BoT, therefore, urged the President to remedy the oversight which has resulted in the delay to assent to the Bill and sign it without delay, maintaining: “This is only fair and just manner of treating the South-South geopolitical zone as bona fide citizens of this country who deserve not to be discriminated against.”
It also demanded a reversal of NDDC (which could become a misnomer) to its earlier designation as Oil Mineral Production Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC).
Attah reminded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that the NDDC was established by law in 2000 to mitigate specific issues targeting oil mineral producing communities and to create an enabling environment for hitch-free oil and gas exploration activities in the host communities hence the commission has its specific funding formula and modus operandi.
It further argued that, whereas the Niger Delta region has a definite geographic boundary, the membership of the NDDC has extended beyond this boundary to include other oil producing states such as Abia, Imo and Ondo, among others, with the possibility of extending further to include other states in future.
The group, therefore, recommended that NDDC’s name should be reversed to prevent any confusion between it and the other regional development commissions and especially the SSDC when eventually created, all of which are directed at creating inclusive national development irrespective of their production of natural resources, hence their location within the Ministry of Regional Development, which is now headed by Engineer Abubakar Momoh.
It maintained that signing the South-South Development Commission Bill will promote broader regional development in the area to complement the work of the NDDC under the Board and Managing Director, Dr. Sammy Ogbuku.
