Former militant leaders, under the aegis of Urhobo Gbagbako, are demanding the overhaul of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
According to them, this is to pave way for “genuine host communities” to be physically captured in the interventionist agency’s development programmes.
Ships and Ports reports that the ex-militants in addition, called for the restructuring of the amnesty programme to accommodate those who surrendered arms and were issued with Joint Task Force (JTF) certificates but are yet to be documented for payment and training.
In a statement by their spokesman, Priest Omodjuvwu, the group vowed to fight the NDDC to a logical conclusion as those appointed into the board have not given priority to the host communities “There has not been any mention of oil blocs being allocated to a few highly placed individuals outside the Niger Delta region nor plans by the Federal Government to ameliorate the continuous despoliation of the Niger Delta environment with unending exploration and exploitation of our crude oil,’’ the group claimed.
The group however, tasked Buhari administration to look into the plights of the Niger-Delta people “No one has talked about relocating the head offices of oil producing companies from Lagos and Abuja to the Niger Delta region. Our president must be reminded that the Niger Delta amnesty programme was not initiated by the late President UmaruYar’Adua administration because of his love for the Niger Delta but to guarantee continued oil production,” the group stated.
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