NDDC: Apply Restraint, Tompolo Tells Militants, Calls On FG To Constitute Board

By Daniel Dafe, Abraka

Two days after the ultimatum to the Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, the National Assembly and President Muhammadu Buhari by
High Chief Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo), to constitute the substantive board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as an urgent matter of public importance and interest to avoid a breakdown of law and order in the region, Tompolo, while expressing dissatisfaction, urged fellow agitators to shun actions that may throw the only relatively peaceful region in the country now into chaos.

According to him, his ”ultimatum led to a consultative meeting between major stakeholders from the region and Senator Godswill Akpabio in Oporoza town, where a truce was reached, as the Minister profusely pleaded that he should be allowed to start and fast-track the process of constituting the board within the month of June, 2021.”

He continued: ”June 2021 has come to an end. The people of the region are yet to see any tangible move towards the constitution of the NDDC board by the Federal Government. The people are seriously agitated. There is palpable fear and tension in the region. I wish to reiterate my earlier position that, the government should as a matter of urgency, constitute the substantive board of the NDDC to avoid unnecessary bickering and crisis in the region.”

Tompolo, who said he reluctantly accepted the outcome of the consultative meeting, noted that he has done so much to keep peace in the region

“I have been in constant touch with my fellow agitators in the region to give peace a chance, knowing full well that there cannot be any meaningful development in an atmosphere of rancor and acrimony. As it stands now, the one thing the government must do in this issue is to be courageous enough to constitute the NDDC board,” he said.

“Government must be sincere in handling developmental issues in the Niger Delta region as the people have suffered enough, being neglected for several decades. The truth of the matter is that there is so much bitterness in the land owing to the lackadaisical attitude of this government in handling matters of great importance to its citizens.”

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He added that “multinational oil companies operating in the Niger delta region are not left out in the troubles of the region. They are clearly part of the conspiracy in the marginalization of the region. They must perform their statutory obligations to the people of the region by promptly delivering cooperate social responsibilities to the people.”

He said that “most of the companies are operating under the cover of the Nigerian Military, which has further exacerbated the relationship between multinationals and their host communities.”

“They must do their business in a most friendly atmosphere, and not set neighbouring host communities against one another,” he added.