December 05, (THEWILL) – Weeks after the rousing reception and overwhelming acceptance that greeted the release of reputable nominees for the constitution of a substantive board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), after a two-year lull, the frenzy seems to have died down, as the Senate Committee on NDDC is yet to screen and confirm the board members.
This has given several Ijaw Youth groups sleepless nights as they express dismay over complaints of nocturnal moves to frustrate the process by some top politicians who did not get their desired names on the wish list and have lobbied the presidency and the leadership of the Senate to stall the screening process.
At a press conference held in Yenagoa, over the weekend, a Niger Delta Youth Leader, Comrade Timadi Isampou-Owei Prosecutor, also known as Osusu the II, flanked by other youth leaders of repute in the iYC and Mosseind, condemned the antics of naysayers who do not mean well for the region and called on NASS to go-ahead with the screening and confirmation of the Dr Ogbuku led NDDC as MD and Chief Dimaro as Bayelsa Representative.
In his words: “There’s no list that shall satisfy everybody. For now, those chosen are the best of the lot and should be screened and ratified by the senate regardless of any misgivings by a pocket of divergent views that are immaterial. Let the Senate do the needful and let President Buhari inaugurate the board so that it won’t be like the last nominees screened, but could not be inaugurated by the presidency.”
The Ekeremor-born youth leader, Osusu II, further stated that “for now, time is far spent and if the delay continues, Bayelsa is at the losing end as the new MD is billed to complete the four-year tenure of the last occupant who had already eaten into the Bayelsa slot. The presidency and NASS must shun any inconsequential dissenting voice and go ahead with the screening, ratification and inauguration of the new board so as to give them ample time to execute their development plans for the region.”
Meanwhile, another formidable youth leader and former Ijaw Youth Council Action Committee member, Comrade Wisdom Ikuli, has taken to his social media handles to call for the speedy screening of the Board nominees as the seeming delay is not healthy for the speedy growth of the oil-rich region.
Comrade Ikuli revealed that there has been some horse trading among top politicians to scuttle the process and thwart the senate’s efforts. Still, he called on Ijaw leaders to be of one voice to actualise the successful process and constitution of the substantive board before Senate goes on recess for the yuletide.
Both youth leaders issued an ultimatum to call on the NASS NDDC Committee, to get to work and screen and confirm the nominees as they say they stand by the two Bayelsa nominees (Ogbuku and Dimaro) and have no worries about their abilities to perform optimally going by their track records of service in former public offices they have previously occupied.
They maintain that they shall be forced to mobilise thousands of Ijaw Youths to stage a peaceful protest crippling the economy for days until the process is concluded successfully.
“We call on the NASS to commence the process of screening the NDDC nominees this week or else if by next week Monday, December 12th 2022, they have not been confirmed and inaugurated to kick start work, then we shall take to the streets of Abuja and across Niger Delta States capital to occupy NDDC offices and the Ministry until our demands are met!”, The youths leaders equivocally stated.
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