The Host Communities of Nigeria, HOSCON, has said it is inappropriate for Governors of South-South states, who they accused of mismanaging 13 percent Derivation Fund, to tell President Muhammadu Buhari how to appoint people on the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC Board.
National Director of Media and Publicity, HOSCON, Okakuro Monday Whiskey quoted the Dr Emu Emuh-led leadership as saying in a statement, weekend. This came as Oron Youth Movement, OYOM, a civil rights group in Akwa Ibom State, called on well-meaning people in the Niger Delta region and across the country to support the NDDC Managing Director designate, Mr. Bernard Okumagba, to deliver on his mandate. HOSCON, which commended Buhari for ordering a forensic audit of NDDC, asserted, “For the Niger Delta governors whose management of 13 percent derivation fund is generating a lot of controversies, it is uncharitable and unbecoming for them to want to tell the President on how to appoint people into NDDC.”
“For 19 years running, billions of naira was allocated without commensurate infrastructural facilities to show for it, but what did we get? Mismanagement and outright embezzlement of the funds meant for human capital and infrastructural development of their respective states. “HOSCON wants the President to urgently redirect the management of 13 percent derivation fund as the management style of the current governors is more bedeviled with fraud than is currently obtained in the NDDC. “We believe that redirection of 13 percent derivation fund remains the only solution to the multi-trillion fraud that occurred in the current management regime of 13 percent derivation fund. Just like NDDC, the region received over N44 trillion as 13 percent derivation fund in the past 19 years and if we want to be fair to ourselves, we should be bold enough to say that nothing tangible is on the ground to justify these huge allocations,” the group stated. Meanwhile, OYOM in a statement by the president, Mr. Etifit Nkereuwem, lauding President Buhari for his NDDC board appointments, said, “Okumagba is a pragmatic community leader, nationalist, grassroots politician and accomplished personality. We are proud to be associated with him on this important national assignment.” The organization urged Okumagba to bring “his exceptional leadership style to bear on this appointment for the overall benefit of the region and humanity.” It noted that Oron ethnic nationality comprising Oron, Okobo, Mbo, Urueoffiong/Orukoand Udong Uko local government areas producing 90 percent of crude oil from Akwa Ibom state with 10 oil-producing companies operating in its territorial waters and lands, deserved a better treatment by the federal government and oil multinationals.
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