…To guarantee peace in oil region
The traditional rulers and stakeholders of oil-bearing communities in Warri, Delta State, have raised their voices in condemnation of the crisis rocking the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), especially the alleged mismanagement of N81.5 billion by the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the commission.
Thus in unison, the Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil & Gas (HOSTCOM) urged President Muhammadu Buhari to remove the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, from office in order to retore peace in the region.
They also advised the President to immediately disband the IMC and inaugurate the substantive board of the NDDC led by Pius Odubu as Chairman and Bernard Okumagba as Managing Director, who were nominated, screened and cleared by the National Assembly.
Besides, the traditional rulers alleged that the minister misled the President to constitute the IMC and also transferred the NDDC to his ministry to enable him control it.
The Pere of Seimbiri Kingdom and former National Chairman of Traditional Rulers of Oil Producing Communities of Nigeria (TROMPCON), Dr. Charles Ayemi-Botu, who spoke on behalf of the monarchs and stakeholders, said as custodians of culture in the Niger Delta region who played pivotal role in the establishment of the NDDC, they would not “fold their arms and allow a megalomaniac to torpedo and destroy the agency for his personal gains and self-aggrandisement at the detriment of millions of Niger Deltans living in squalour and abject poverty.”
Ayemi-Botu said that the minister lacks the credibility to superintend over NDDC.
He said: “This is a clarion call to President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, without further delay, to forestall the impending crisis that may worsen the already downtrodden economy of the country.
The monarchs, therefore, urged Akpabio, whom they called “our dear son,” to follow the path of honour and resign honourably than being booted out of office.