The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr
Nsima Ekere, has charged traditional rulers to promote peace, stability and
security to aid the development process of the Niger Delta region.
Dr Ekere was speaking when the executive and members of Traditional Rulers
of Oil Mineral Producing Communities of Nigeria, TROMPCON, paid him a
courtesy visit at NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt.
With him to receive the royal fathers were the NDDC Executive Director
Finance and Administration, Mr Mene Derek, and the Executive Director
Projects, Engr. (Dr) Samuel Adjogbe.
The NDDC Chief Executive Officer urged the traditional rulers to continue
to contribute their quota to the peace and security of the region and by
extension, the entire country, stating that the Commission was conscious of
the critical role TROMPCON played in national development and the economic
growth of the country.
He remarked: “We are in a very delicate period of electioneering. As royal
fathers, you will be called upon to admonish your subjects to play the game
of politics according to the rules. You have a duty to remind politicians
that the democracy we are enjoying today was hard earned because some
people paid for it with their blood.
“We have a responsibility to protect and preserve our democracy. You must,
therefore, advise your subjects to play the game with the spirit of
sportsmanship, recognising that power comes from God.”
The NDDC boss said that Niger Delta and indeed Nigeria needed peace and
stability at these trying times. He added: “We need stability in our
country because that is one sure way of attracting foreign direct
investments. It will also help our businessmen to grow their investments.”
Ekere noted that the Niger Delta region was occupying a very important
position in the country, stating: “We are the goose that lays the golden
eggs and the stability of the region translates to economic prosperity for
Nigeria.
“We have a duty to continue to show total commitment, respect and support
to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, as the Federal
Government has in the last three years shown an unwavering commitment to
national growth and development. The President has also shown an uncommon
passion to fight the ills of our society, especially corruption.”
Ekere congratulated members of the newly elected national executive of
TROMPCON, stating that they were chosen because of their pedigree as
distinguished traditional rulers. He assured them that NDDC would sustain
the support that it had always given to TROMPCON.
In his address, the National Chairman of TROMPCON, Owong (Dr) Effiong
Archianga, congratulated the NDDC on its achievements in providing basic
infrastructures such as roads and other development facilities in the nine
oil-producing states in the Niger Delta region, in spite of lean financial
resources.
He said that as a father, TROMPCON had always stood by NDDC, especially in
advocating increased funding from the federal and state governments, as
well as oil companies in other to fast track development in the Niger delta
region.
The TROMPCON Chairman said that traditional rulers were major stakeholder
in the region and should be actively involved or be consulted on important
issues, especially the determination of projects and their locations in
various communities to ensure effective monitoring and early completion of
jobs.
Owong Archianga lamented what he called the unfair treatment of the Niger
Delta region by the lopsided appointments into the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation, NNPC board, “where 10 directors are from the north,
3 from the south west and only two directors from the South-South, the area
which produces 90 per cent of the oil and gas of the country.”
The royal father advised the NDDC to organise training and workshops on
security, peace building and conflict management for the traditional rulers
in the region, in view of the current wave of insecurity in the country.
*Chijioke Amu-Nnadi*
*Deputy Director, Corporate Affairs*
*June 7, 2018.*