President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Engr Emmanuel Audu-Ohwavborua, as Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The appointment was contained in a press statement issued by the Director of Press, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Patricia Deworitse, on Thursday, October 20, 2022.
His appointment followed the sack of Effiong Akwa, the Interim Administrator of the NDDC.
She said this arrangement will subsist pending the appointment of a substantive Managing Director and members of the NDDC Governing Board.
According to Deworitse, President Buhari subsequently “approved the constitution of a new Management Team and Governing Board of the NDDC in line with section 5(2) of the NDDC Act, 2000. The names of the nominees for the new management team and Governing Board are to be transmitted to the National Assembly for approval.”
Announcing Audu-Ohwavborua’s appointment as the acting MD, Deworitse said “President has further approved that the most senior director in the Commission should take over the running of the affairs of the Commission in line with the Federal Government Circular dated 4th December 2017, with Ref. No. 50/S. /C.2/268, pending the appointment of a substantive Managing Director and members of the Governing Board.
“Accordingly, Engr Emmanuel Audu-Ohwavborua (FNSE) will perform the duties of the Managing Director in an acting capacity pending the appointment of a substantive Managing Director and members of the Governing Board.”
Meanwhile, The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for sacking the Interim Administrator, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Efiong Akwa.
The IYC said it was particularly elated that the president ended the era of interim administrations of NDDC, which had crippled the commission and denied all member states equal participation in the activities of the interventionist agency as envisioned by the Act establishing it.
The President of IYC, Peter Timothy Igbifa, in a statement sent to DAILY POST, on Thursday, said Buhari’s order that the board of the NDDC should be immediately reconstituted in line with the Act was long overdue.
While acknowledging that it was better late than never, Igbifa recalled that the IYC led by him had through various actions bemoaned the draconian leadership style introduced in NDDC by the Buhari’s administration and called for a substantive board.
He said those hanging around Buhari should urgently swing into action to carry out his marching order on the reconstitution of the commission’s board.
He said: “Though we are happy that President Muhammadu Buhari has finally ended the notorious era of interim administrations in the NDDC, we believe it is long overdue. But it is better late than never.
“We recall our various protests against the managerial style that had crippled the commission and deprived member states of equal representation. But now that the President has given a marching order, we only hope that those saddled with the responsibility of implementing it will act fast to save the image of the President.
“We have noticed in the past how the President’s orders were disregarded by his aides, who were more concerned about protecting their personal interests than the national interests with total disregard to the image of their principal.”
