Speaking while receiving the South-South Monarchs’ Forum led by King Edmund Daukoru, the Amayanabo of Nembe, in his office in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, he stated that “we must return to the master plan.
He said that the NDDC was guided by the need for transparency and accountability, stating that while the Commission should insist on getting its dues, it must also be accountable to earn the trust of its stakeholders.
Senator Ndoma-Egba stressed that the NDDC must not be seen to be in competition with the state governments but should rather collaborate with stakeholders to add more value to the communities.
According to the Chairman, the traditional institution played a key role in the relative peace now existing in the Niger Delta.
“It will help us synchronize our thoughts and our ideas so that whenever and wherever we speak as leaders of the South-South, whether as traditional rulers or political leaders, we speak with one voice.
The leader of the South-South monarchs, Dr Daukoru, said that the NDDC had come of age, noting that the landscape of the Niger Delta was dotted with “fruits from the commission.”
He declared: “We are ready to partner with NDDC and give all the encouragement you need and we are hoping that we will see a bit more of you in terms of outreach through us to the grassroots people.
“We also want to act as a channel and an advocacy institution for you so that through us, you will be able to communicate to the people whatever opportunities are open that they can participate more effectively.”
He observed that prior to 2009 when the monarchs came together as a group, the South-South literally had no voice.
“We provide a voice for the South-South and encourage the political class to work together in harmony,” he said.
King Daukoru, who was a former Minister of Petroleum, stated that the Niger Delta was the “dollar basket of the nation”, adding that in spite of this fact, the region was getting very little from its natural resources.
He blamed the neglect of the region on the inadequate recognition of the traditional institution, identifying the monarchs as the “missing ingredient” needed to galvanize positive development.
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