Delta State representative on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Monday Igbuya says the current leadership of the interventionist agency is committed to ensuring the completion of the abandoned 520-bed hostel at the Delta State University, Abraka.
Chief Igbuya stated this when the national leadership of Urbobo Oil and Gas Nationality (UROAGAN), led by the National Chairman, Chief Ominimini Obiuwevbi, paid him a courtesy visit in Sapele.
The Delta State NDDC Rep, who paid glowing tribute to the former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori for championing the resource control struggle which brought about the 13% Oil Revenue Derivation, applauded the Urbobo Oil and Gas Nationality (UROAGAN) for its advocacy over the wrong ranking of Urhobo ethnic nationality in quantum of oil and gas production in Delta State.
“UROAGAN is doing what the Urhobo people actually deserve. So, I commend them sincerely. I believe there will be light at the end of the tunnel,” said Igbuya.
He hinted that the current board of NDDC comprising people of repute is committed to changing the narrative in project execution in the Niger Delta region, which informs the reason why projects like the abandoned 520-bed hostel at the Delta State University, Abraka, are now being given priority attention.
Igbuya stated, “NDDC of yesterday is not NDDC of today. You will see a new narrative in NDDC. We are not there to soil our names. The 520-bed hostel abandoned since 2004 at the Delta State University, Abraka, we are committed to making sure that the hostel project is completed.
“One of the mandates we got was that every legacy project must be completed. My own office in Warri, the state office was awarded in 2004, and I refused to sit in the rented office. I don’t want to get myself comfortable in a rented office. The permanent office on Airport Warri is now being completed. Legacy projects in Delta State take the front burner as far as this board is concerned.”
UROAGAN national chairman, Chief Ominimini Obiuwevbi told the Delta State NDDC representative that from the group’s thorough on-the-spot findings, the Urbobo ethnic nationality ought to be the first in terms of quantum of oil and gas production in Delta State in contrast to the third position ranking by the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) which placed Itsekiri and Ijaw ethnic nationalities in first and second positions respectively.
Chief Ominimini who noted the capacity of the Delta State representative on the board of NDDC, Chief Monday Igbuya, to deliver on the mandate of the commission, advanced UROAGAN’s request to the agency to allocate projects and programmes based on the actual quantum of oil and gas production and not on entity of existence.
He lamented that despite the huge oil and gas production by the Urhobo ethnic nationality, the people are not occupying strategic positions in NNPCL and other oil and gas companies urging the federal government to consider the Urhobo nation in projects and programmes that would improve the standard living of the people and accelerate development of the ethnic nationality.
The UROAGAN national chairman disclosed that the issues the group has been canvassing for the past month are already taking the front burner at the national level, expressing optimism that the needed correction will be made in future.
UROAGAN during the visit presented a handbook containing a compilation of all Urhobo oil and gas facilities to justify the group’s position that the Urbobo ethnic nationality is the highest producer of oil and gas in Delta State.
It was agreed that UROAGAN should compile all the abandoned NDDC projects in Urhobo ethnic nationality and forward them to the Delta State representative for necessary actions.
The Urbobo Oil and Gas Nationality, UROAGAN, for the past month, has at both the state and national levels canvassed strongly against the marginalization of the Urhobo nation despite its huge contribution to the national confers.
