PANDEF Demands The Next GCED NNPCL To Come From Niger Delta.

 

The Pan  Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), has call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to appoint someone from any of the six South-South States as the next Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd stating  that anything short of that would be a great disservice to the Niger Delta people.

Rising from an extraordinary meeting of PANDEF on Wednesday  held in Abuja, the stakeholders decried the fact that the Niger Delta region remains largely under-represented in the appointments made so far and  called on Mr. President to reverse the trend.

In a Communique issued at the end of the meeting which was signed by Signed: Chief Dr. E. K. Clark, OFR, CON, National Leader and Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien, FNSE, National Chairman, PANDEF implores the political class of the South-South Geopolitical Zone, including the Governors, Members of the National Assembly, Ministers, and Heads of MDAs, to work together, irrespective of their political disparities, in the overall interest of the Region.

The group reminded the Governors of the Niger Delta of the need to resuscitate the activities of BRACED Commission, which  it said has become inactive in the last few years.

It further condemned the continued gross “annexation” of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd, where all top strategic management positions are occupied by persons from the north, while Niger Delta indigenes are marginalized and circumscribed to peripheral standings, in both the management and operations of the industry citung the recent humongous Pipeline Maintenance Contracts awarded by NNPC Ltd., to the exclusion of qualified firms from the Niger Delta as a typical example.

The statement read" Given that the Federal Government is developing policies to legalize  illegal mining of solid minerals, the Meeting calls on the Federal Government to consider supporting and encouraging  artisanal refineries, and stop the unnecessary criminalization, to provide gainful employment to the teeming youths of the region and country.

" PANDEF regrets the poor management of the 3% Host Communities Development Fund under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), and calls for its  full implementation decring the fact that the Niger Delta region remains largely under-represented in the appointments made so far, and calls on Mr. President to reverse the trend.

"Implores the political class of the South-South Geopolitical Zone, including the Governors, Members of the National Assembly, Ministers, and Heads of MDAs, to work together, irrespective of their political disparities, in the overall interest of the Region reminding the Governors of the Niger Delta of the need to resuscitate the activities of BRACED Commission, which has become inactive in the last few years.

" PANDEF salutes the efforts of the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, General Barry Ndiomu (rtd) in stabilizing of the Niger Delta region and expresses satisfaction with the recent appointment of a new Board and Management of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC by President Tinubu administration.

"Urges the new Board and Management of the NDDC to adopt comprehensive approaches in their management of these agencies, for better performance, and to fast-track the socio-economic development of the Niger Delta Region and deplore the current “invasion” of the NDDC, Presidential Amnesty Programme and other Niger Delta-related agencies by government officials and persons from other parts of the country.

" PANDEF re-echoes call for the amendment of relevant sections of the NDDC Establishment Act 2000, to extricate the three non-South South States (Abia, Imo, and Ondo) that were integrated on political grounds, from the Commission and  condemns the continued gross “annexation” of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd, where all top strategic management positions are occupied by persons from the north, while Niger Delta indigenes are marginalized and circumscribed to peripheral standings, in both the management and operations of the industry

"Cites the recent humongous Pipeline Maintenance Contracts awarded by NNPC Ltd., to the exclusion of qualified firms from the Niger Delta as a typical example and demands immediate reconstruction works on several failed sections of the East-West Road; Eleme-Onne, Ahoada- Mbiama-Kaiama, Benin-Sapale-Warri Road, Delta-Bayelsa, Benin-Agbor Road, Calabar-Itu Road,  Port Harcourt – Aba Road, Ikot Ekpene-Aba Road, Benin-Auchi road, Calabar Obudu, etcetera.

" PANDEF demands the extension of the Warri-Itakpe Railway to Abuja, and the expedition of work on the Port Harcourt – Enugu – Maiduguri Rail line, to lessen the transportation difficulties and risks our people are presently facing and  calls on Mr. President to work towards the revival of the various ports in the Niger Delta including Port Harcourt, Warri, Onne, Calabar, Koko, and Sapele.