The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to sign into an Act, the bill for the South-South Development Commission.
PANDEF, the apex socio-political body of the South-South geo-political zone, made the call in a communiqué at the end of an emergency meeting of the Board of Trustees (BOT), held in Abuja on Monday.
National spokesman of PANDEF, Obiuwevbi Ominimini read the communiqué on behalf of the National Chairman, Dr Godknows Igali.
The communique reads, “The bill, after passage by the National Assembly was submitted at the same time as other geo-political zone’s commissions bill to the President, but ours is yet to be assented to.
“We subscribe to the desirability of having a Development Commission for all the six geo-political zones of the country without exception.
“And therefore, views the withholding of assent as a grave oversight or error, capable of creating a feeling of exclusion and dejection on the part of the people of the South-South.
“The delay in assenting to this bill leaves the South-South zone orphaned within the broader context of regional development commissions which include the North-East Development Commission (NEDC), the North-West Development Commission (NWDC), South-West Development Commission (SEDC) and North-Central Development Commission (NCDC),’’ he said.
The group further said that the delay in signing of this bill could have a negative impact on the present state of peace which exists in the Niger Delta.
“PANDEF BOT therefore, calls on the President to remedy the oversight which has resulted in the delay to assent to this bill and sign it into an Act without delay.
“The bill for the creation of South-South Development Commission is different from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
“The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was established by law in 2000 to mitigate issues affecting the oil mineral producing communities.
“Hence, the NDDC has its own specific funding formula and modus operandi.
“The meeting therefore, strongly recommended that the name, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) which could become a misnomer, should revert to its earlier designation as Oil Mineral Production Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC).
“This will distinguish it and prevent any confusion between it and the newly created South-South Development Commissions”.
