Reps screen NDDC board nominees

The House of Representatives has screened President Tinubu nominees to the Board and Management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), who appeared before the House Ad-hoc Committee mandated to conduct the screening on Thursday.

They are Chiedu Ebie NDDC Chairman (Delta), and Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director/CEO (Bayelsa) respectively, who shared their details of respective career trajectories and vision for the commission.

The designates confirmed include Mr. Boma Iyaye, ED, Finance & Admin (Rivers); Mr. Victor Antai, ED, Projects (Akwa Ibom); Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde, ED, Corporate Services (Ondo); Senator Dimaro Denyanbofa (Bayelsa); Mr. Abasi Ndikan Nkono (Akwa Ibom); Rt. Hon. Monday Igbuya (Delta); Chief Tony Okocha (Rivers); and Hon. Patrick Aisowieren (Edo).

Others are Kyrian Uchegbu (Imo); Hon. Otitio Atikase (Ondo); Chief Dimgba Eruba (Abia); Rt. Hon Orok Otu Duke (Cross River); Hon. Nick Wende (North Central); Hon. Namdas Abdulrazak (North East); and Senator Dr. Ibrahim Gobir (North West).

The Chairman of the House Committee on NDDC, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu and Chairman of, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Akin Rotimi in their remark while presenting the nominees charged the designates to justify the confidence reposed in them by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Read alsoNDDC presses harder on creating 9,000 jobs, trains 185 youths to promote scheme

According to them, the NDDC needs visionary leaders with integrity to drive the discharge of the Commission’s mandate, to translate to tangible impact on the lives of the people and communities in the Niger Delta.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Minority Leader of the House, Hon. Ali Isa, moved the motion for the nominees to take a bow in deference to the fact that the Senate had similarly screened and confirmed the nominees, and also in consideration of the fact that some of the nominees are former parliamentarians which was seconded by Deputy Leader of the House, Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim Halims, and unanimously carried by the committee.

Also, Julius Inhovbere, House Leader charged the nominees with the responsibility to chart a new course for the critical interventionist agency, and be just and fair to all the communities.

He challenged the designates to be guided by the fear of God and respect for the constitution in discharging their duties.

Upon confirmation by the House, the National Assembly is expected to transmit its resolution to the Presidency immediately, haven effectively fulfilled Section 2 (2) (a) of the NDDC Act, which prescribes that the nominees must be screened and confirmed by the Senate in consultation with the House of Representatives.

The Committee is expected to submit it’s report and recommendations during plenary.

Recall that President Bola Tinubu wrote to the lower legislative chamber seeking confirmation of nominees to serve on the NDDC board which was read on the floor of the green chamber by Ben Kalu, deputy speaker, who presided over Tuesday’s plenary.

Last week, the Senate screened and cleared the nominees but the President forwarded the names to the House in line with sections 2 (2) (a) of the NDDC Act (2000).

The aforementioned section states that the nominees must be screened and approved by the senate in consultation with the house of representatives.