Senate orders screening of Onochie, 14 others for NDDC board

By Musa Baba Adamu

The Senate on Tuesday mandated its Committee on Niger Delta Affairs to commence the screening of President Muhammadu Buhari’s nominees for the position of chairman and 14 others as members of the board of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

President Buhari had on November 25 written the Senate, seeking for the confirmation of his Special Assistant on New Media, Lauretta Ifeanyi Onochie from Delta State as the chairman and 14 others as members of the NDDC board.

Other nominees are Dimgba Erugba (Abia State representative), Dr. Emem Wilcos Wills (Akwa Ibom State), Hon. Orok Duke (Cross River), Dr. Pius Obuluku (Edo), Engr. Anthony Okanne ((Imo), Hon. Gbenga Edema (Ondo) and Elekwachi Dinkpa (Rivers).

The rest are Alhaji Mohammed Kabir Abubakar (North Central zonal representative), Alhaji Sule-Iko Ssmi (North West), Prof. Tahir Mamman (North East), Chief Dr. Samuel Ogbuku from Bayelsa State (Managing Director for a term of two years, to complete the unexpired term of his predecessor in office), Major General Charles Airhinvbere from Edo (Executive Director, Finance) and Charles Ogunmola from Ondo (Executive Director, Projects), respectively.

The Senate Leader, Senator Ibrahim Gobir (APC Sokoto East) read the Executive Communication from President Buhari that the upper legislative chamber do consider the request on the confirmation for the appointment as chairman and members of NDDC in accordance with the provisions of section 2( 2)( a) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (Establishment) Act, Cap N86 LFN.

Consequently, the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, referred it to the Committee on Niger Delta Affairs to carry out an expeditious screening and report back to plenary next week Tuesday.

With the absence of Senator Nwaoboshi in the Senate, the Vice Chairman of the Committee, Senator Bulus Amos, (APC Gombe South) will preside over the screening.

The committee is, however, yet to fix a day for the screening.