The Senate on Tuesday confirmed the nomination of President Muhammadu Buhari’s former aide on new media, Lauretta Onochie, as the substantive chairman of the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The Red Chamber also confirmed the nomination of 12 others as Managing Director, Executive Directors and commission members.
The confirmation followed the consideration of a report by the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, chaired by Bulus Amos (Gombe)
President Buhari had, in a letter addressed to the Senate President Ahmad Lawan, requested the Senate to confirm the nominees.
Other NDDC members confirmed are; Dimgba Erugba, Abia; Dr Emem Willcox Wills, Akwa Ibom; Elder Denyanbofa Dimaro, Bayelsa State; Hon. Orok Duke, Cross River; Hon. Gbenga Edema, Ondo; Elekwachi Dimkpa, Rivers.
Also confirmed by the Senate are; Alhaji Mohammed Kabir Abubakar, (Zonal Representative, Nasarawa State, North-Central); Alhaji Sadiq Sami Sule – Ikoh (Zonal Representative, Kebbi State, North-West); Prof Tahir Mamman SAN, (Zonal Representative, Adamawa State, North-East); Chief Samuel Ogbokwu, (Managing Director); Major-General Charles Airhiavbere, rtd. (Executive Director, Finance) and Charles Ogunmola, Executive Director, Projects.
The nominations of Dr Pius Odudu, Edo and Engineer Anthony Ekenne, Imo were not confirmed due to their failure to appear for screening.
Objections raised by Senators Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa) and Nicholas Tofowomo (Ondo) against Onochie and Charles Ogunmola from Ondo State, were ignored.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan urged the new board and management of the NDDC not to see the commission as a cash cow but as an interventionist agency created to facilitate the development of the Niger Delta region.
“Let’s see it as a development agency rather than a cash cow, and ensure the Niger Delta communities benefit from it,” he said.
Lawan also urged the executives to send to the National Assembly the report of the forensic audit it carried out on NNDC.
•Text, except headline courtesy of the Daily Trust newspaper
