NDDC Appointment Crisis: N’Delta Women Plan Nude Protests Against Sole Administrator

A group of women under the aegis of Mother of Oil Producing Communities of Niger Delta (MOPROCOND), has concluded plans to stage nude protests against the appointment of a sole administrator to run the affairs of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The women said the appointment was illegal and strange to the act establishing the intervention agency for the overall development of the region.

Arising from an emergency meeting in Warri on Wednesday, the women disclosed that the nude protest will be carried out simultaneously in all the NDDC offices across the nine states in the Niger Delta region and its headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.

MOPROCOND, in a communique released at the end of the meeting and signed by Lady Kagogo Happy as Convener and Mrs. Ogheneruro, Media Officer, maintained that the planned protest is a follow up to the position already taken by the Oil Mineral Producing Communities Traditional Rulers Association (OMPCOTRAS) that Mr. Effiong Akwa be sacked as the Sole Administrator of NDDC.

“Mother of Oil Producing Communities of Niger Delta (MOPROCOND) aligns ourselves with Oil Mineral Producing Communities Traditional Rulers Association (OMPCOTRAS) 14 days ultimatum which has expired on the 6th of January, 2021 issued to the Federal government for the sack of the interim Sole Administrator of the NDDC, Effiong Akwa and inaugurate the authentic board appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“We reiterate that the Mothers of Oil Producing Communities of Niger Delta reject the purported appointment of Effiong Akwa and demand his sack with immediate effect. This interim Sole Administrator designate and position is not known to the NDDC Act”, they said in the communique.

The women maintained that since the Ultimatum given by the monarchs in the oil producing communities has expired with the Federal government adamance against the wishes of the Niger Delta people, “MOPROCOND hereby bring this notice to the federal government our resolves to simultaneously hold our nude protest to take place at the NDDC offices of the Nine states across the Niger Delta and also occupy major oil fields in the region.

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“That the grand nude protest shall take place with all the Mothers converging at the NDDC’s Headquarters with their Tents and cooking utensils to celebrate with Effiong Akwa for his appointment. Take notice that the occupation of the Headquarters will last as long as we can sustain it”, they said.

The Niger Delta women questioned the President’s acceptance of the alleged continued misdirection by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godwill Akpabio and therefore urge the National Assembly to compel President Buhari to issue a directive to the Minister to inaugurate the appointed board already screened and confirmed by it as soon as possible.

Story contributed by Sylvester Idowu in Warri