Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo state

Jethro Ibileke/Benin
Concerned stakeholders from the oil producing communities in Edo State weekend called for immediate amendment of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Act, to allow States’ representatives to participate fully in policy formulation of the Commission.
The stakeholders who rose from an emergency meeting of the oil producing communities in the three local government areas of the State, scored the Commission low on the award of contracts in oil producing States which they claimed remains at the exclusive discretion of the Managing Director who knows nothing about these States.
Spokeperson for the stakeholders, Noskhare Igbinosa, described as structural defect the present arrangement where procurement and contracts are awarded by executive directorates and the managing director of the Commission, without the input of states representatives
He said the current practice in the Commission promotes fraud and accounts for the numerous abandoned projects in the oil producing State and has made it difficult to asses the performances of various States representatives at the Board.
”A situation where representatives of the nine oil producing States in the country are merely board members, appendages without executive power to determine what is required in their States or award contracts for projects that will impact positively on the lives of the people is no longer acceptable to us.
“Even if the federal government decides to sink N10 trillion into the Commission, it will only enrich a few individuals and undermine the development of the oil producing areas,” Igbinosun said.