Constitute substantive board for NDDC – IYC tells Buhari

The Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide (IYC) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to constitute a substantive board for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC).

The group, which commended the recent nominations of the president to fill ministerial positions in his cabinet, urged him to employ the same speed and zeal to constitute a substantive board for the NDDC.

IYC, in a statement on Thursday, by its national spokesperson, Ebilade Ekerefe, described as commendable the inclusion of an Ijaw to fill the ministerial slot of Rivers State.

According to him, “The decision by President Buhari to push forward the seven ministerial nominees for clearance at the National Assembly is purely personal and political. The need for the immediate setting up of a substantive board for the NDDC should be selfless and a response to the need of the people of the Niger Delta region.

“Despite the nomination of our kinsman as a ministerial nominee, we want to restate our call on the President to answer the call of the entire people of Niger Delta for the immediate constitution of a substantive board for the NDDC.

“It is unfortunate that most of the quick responses to issues by President Buhari are misdirected and are not in response to the popular demands by the people.”

The apex youth group said the President has refused to listen to the demands of the region, which it said has “culminated into the stable oil production of the country.”

IYC urged the president to act rightly by appointing a board that would cater to the region’s development and “writes his name gold in the annals of history.”