By Hosea parah, Abuja

A coalition of socio-political groups under the aegis of Self Employed Association Of Progressives has called on the federal government to correct what it called the “unjust denial” of the right of Akwa Ibom in the composition of the new board of the Niger Delta Development Commission.

The group said that the appointment of the board as presently constituted negates the extant provisions of the Act establishing the commission in 2000.

According to the group, it was unfair to deny Akwa Ibom State its rightful position of Executive Director, Finance and Administration which has never been granted to the state since the establishment of the agency.

A statement signed by the state coordinator, Prince Ekpuk Jumbo; deputy state coordinator, Uyo senatorial district, Mr Goddy Unyah, deputy state coordinator, Eket senatorial district, Mr Ben Ukutt and general secretary Pst Joe Ita, respectively urged the Federal Government to immediately correct the anomaly before it is too late.

The statement reads in part, “Self Employed Association of Progressive, a Socio-political grassroots group in Akwa Ibom state views with great consternation the height of marginalisation, oppression, suppression and deprivation in the recently constituted statutory board of the Niger Delta Development Commission.

“We want to bring to the notice of the Buhari-led administration that NDDC is an agency established by the Act of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which warrant’s that, both activities and composition of the agency must strictly adhere to the letters and spirit of the Act. Available records since the establishment of the NDDC show that all compositions of the past NDDC statutory boards have been done in accordance with the established Act.

“Section 12 (1) states that ‘ there shall be for the commission, a managing director and two executive directors who shall be indigenes of the oil-producing area starting with the member states of the composition with the highest quantum of oil and shall rotate among members states in order of production.

“In view of the above-stated section of the NDDC Act, Akwa Ibom state should in the present board composition take her rightful position of Executive director Finance and Administration which had never been granted to Akwa Ibom state since the establishment of the agency.

“This is insulting, humiliating and utter denigrating to our self-dignity, determination and right. Akwa Ibom is highly concerned and vehemently protest this ungodly and unjust denial of our right.

“We hereby strongly demand the reversal of the abnormality and request that our right position of Executive director Finance and Administration be restored in the newly constituted board.”

The group warned that it might be constrained to mobilise its members across the state to demonstrate against the abnormality if it was not corrected immediately

It stated further that data obtained from the Federal Ministry of Finance, RMAFC, FAAC, FIRS, Edo state, unlike Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers, is not among the four top oil-producing states,” wondering why such position should be allotted to Edo.

“We charge and mobilize our members across the region to embark on more peaceful protests until our major demand of giving Akwa Ibom state its rightful due is addressed satisfactorily.”

“For now, we are calling on our members to remain calm, while waiting for the Federal Government’s action on the matter,” the statement further stated.