The House of Representatives has appealed to the Federal Government to adhere to the provisions of Section 4 of the NDDC Act by considering a candidate from Delta for appointment as the Chairman of the board.
This was sequel to the adoption of a motion by Rep. Kolade Akinjo (PDP-Ondo) at plenary on Thursday in Abuja.
Moving the motion, Akinjo said that there was injustice in the composition of the commission’s board with regards to the offices of the Chairman, Managing Director and the two Executive Directors.
“Section 2(l) ofthe NDDC Act, stipulates that the board shall consist of a Chairman, a person who shall be an indigene an oil producing area to represent each of the member states also the Managing Director; and two Executive Directors.
“Also Section 4, of the NDDC Act, 2000 states that the office of the Chairman shall rotate among the member states in alphabetical order starting with Abia and ending with Rivers.
“Section 12(1) of the Act also stipulates that, there shall be for the Commission, a Managing Director and two Executive Directors who shall be indigenes of oil producing areas starting with member the state with the highest production quantum of oil,” he said.
He said that the law provided that the offices shall rotate among member states in order of the quantity of oil produced by the states.
“Aware that the recent Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) report ranked Akwa lbom 1st, Delta 2nd, Rivers 3rd, Bayelsa 4th, 0ndo 5th, Edo 6th, Imo 7th, Abia 8th, and Cross River 9th in order of quantum.
“Observe that in spite Sections 4 and 12 of the NDDC Act, the positions of the board chairman, Managing Director and the two Executive Directors are solely occupied by Altwa lbom, Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers and Cross River, leaving out Ondo, lmo and Edo.
“Also aware that in the order ofquantum of production, Ondo which is 5th, Edo which is 6th and lmo which is 7th are yet to occupy the positions ofthe Managing Director and the two Executive Directors,” he said.
Akinjo said that by virtue of sections 4 and 12(1) of the NDDC Act, the offices of the chairman, Managing Director and the two Executive Directors are due to go to the next set of member states in the order of alphabet and quantum of production.
He said that Delta was to produce the next chairman, while Ondo would produce Managing Director, Edo to produce Executive Director, Finance and Administration and Imo would produce Executive Director, projects.
In his ruling, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Rep. Ahmed Wase mandated the Committee on NDDC to ensure complirnce. (NAN)
