Civil Society group condemns Senate's rejection of inclusion of Anambra into NDDC

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By Madu Obi

Reactions have continued to trail the senate's rejection of the inclusion of Anambra State as a member of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

The latest is from the Anambra Civil Society Network (ACSONET), a foremost citizen stakeholders' group, which described the action of the nation's upper legislative chamber as hasty and a grave injustice.

Leader of the group, Prince Chris Azor, in a statement in Awka, described the decision as a calculated attempt to continue the perpetual marginalization of the Southeast, a situation he added, is the continuation of the civil war by other means.

According to the group, there is no rationale for senate's decision, if not for primordial, sectional and oppressive interests.

"What makes Anambra different from other states in the Niger Delta? Anambra operates the same OML 143 with Delta State. This is the main reason the Green Chamber acted wisely by passing the bill for second reading" he stated.

Azor, was however, optimistic that the bill would eventually scale through as the senate only withdrew it for further consultations.

He implored Anambra people and South East stakeholders, in partnership with other well meaning patriots, to collectively work towards passage of the bill when it is represented after wider consultations.

Recall that the Senate threw out the bill on the ground that Anambra State was not part of the Niger Delta region, which, according to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, was the reason for the establishment of the NDDC.

According to Akpabio, the NDDC was created to address the environmental degradation in the region following the oil exploration activities in the zone, adding that although Anambra is now among the oil-producing states and is getting 13% derivation from the Federation Account, it cannot be added to the NDDC against the backdrop that it goes contrary to the purpose for which the agency was established.

“For the Senate to permit that Anambra be added to the Commission, other oil-producing states will also have to be added to the Commission, and that itself will go against the purpose."

"Instead, they can create a wider development commission that will involve all regions for the oil-producing states to be captured rather than have multiple developmental commissions,” Akpabio had said.

While presenting the rejected bill in the Senate, Senator Tony Nwoye representing Anambra North had argued that since Anambra State has been receiving 13% derivation fund since 2022, the approval of national assembly would formally accord the status of oil producing state to Anambra to enable it officially join the league of oil producing states in Nigeria.

Senator Nwoye said: “Presently oil and gas exploration activities are all over communities in Anambra State where oil deposits are found in large quantity.

This includes, but not limited to, Orient Petroleum, which has capacity to produce about 55,000 barrels per day, IBETO (First Modular Systems Gas Limited FMSGL) gas processing plant in Omasi and Umueje communities of Ayamelum LGA Anambra State.”