The paramount ruler of Seimbiri kingdom, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, King (Dr.) Charles Ayemi Botu, has stated that President Muhammadu Buhari and his Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio are making mockery of Niger Deltans with the administration of Niger Delta Development Commission.

The monarch who made this known during a thanksgiving service at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, Okpokunou, to mark his 73rd birthday and 27th coronation anniversary, attributed the problems of the Niger Delta to massive corruption at both federal and state levels.

King Ayemi-Botu, a former National Chairman of TROMPCOM, stressed that there must be concerted efforts to right the wrongs of the past as well as massive human and infrastructural development across the country, most especially the oil bearing communities.

He said “The state of our beloved country, especially the Niger Delta region should be of great concern to every well meaning Nigerians. The problem was caused by massive corruption, avarice, nepotism, winner-takes-all syndrome, bigotry and ethno-religious dimension, that is being perpetrated by political leaders both at federal and state government to their selfish ends and detriment of those who elected them”.

The Monarch who was obviously touched by what he described as total negligence of the people, called for proper development of the Niger Delta region to equate with the level of degradation being suffered in the area as a result of oil exploration and exploitation.

He said President Mohammed Buhari and Chief Godswill Akpabio is making a mockery with the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, while few individuals have hi-jacked the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC for their selfish ends.

King Botu explained that he was in the fore front for the agitation for the creation of 13% derivation fund, the NDDC and DESOPADEC, stressing that what is happening in the two interventionist agencies was not what was bargained for.

“The law passed by the Delta State House of Assembly made the derivation fund 50/50. The government has 50% and the oil Producing communities 50% of the 13%. Despite this legal document, contractors are not paid for jobs executed, ongoing jobs abandoned since 2018 and no new jobs awarded, undermining the fact that Delta State is the highest in oil production”.

“For NDDC, it is unfortunate that Mr President decided to allow Akpabio to be messing up with the interventionist agency. Unhealthy politics has enveloped the Commission”, King Botu lamented.

The First Class Ijaw traditional ruler tasked the Federal and State Governments to monitor closely activities of the Interventionist Agencies to ensure they deliver their mandate to the people.

“The federal and state Interventionist agencies of NDDC and DESOPADEC are to alleviate and provide food and shelter to the age long, grossly marginalized people of oil bearing communities. Some persons are now carting away same funds, using their political might to control the oil wealth at their whims and caprices hence the unending call to restructure Nigeria without further delay”. (Daily Independent)

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