Delegates disagree on source of NDDC funding

By Emeka Nze

Delegates at the national conference yesterday disagreed on the source of funding for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) with some saying that the fund was from the federal government while others believed that the fund was contributed from the member states of the NDDC.

The argument started at the debate of the committee on Devolution of Powers which failed to increase the derivation principle but still left it at 13 per cent as contained in the 1999 constitution as amended.
Responding to the argument, Chief Sergeant Awuse a representative of the federal government from the South-South has argued that NDDC is funded from contributions from the member states underscoring the need for the increment of the 13 percent derivation.
According to Awuse, people arguing for money should visit the oil producing areas and see that there is more blindness among the people than in other areas arising from oil flaring.

Another delegate from Borno state, Hon Mohammed Kumalia made an intervention to correct Sergeant Awuse on NDDC’s funding and noted that. Contributions of the federal government to NDDC were raised by 5 to 10 percent by the national Assembly in the regime of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
According to Kumalia Obsanjo had failed to sign the recommendation by the National Assembly when the lawmakers overruled him and vetoed it. He stated that from then the North had made more contribution to NDDC than the South.
Chief Edwin Clark said the NDDC is being owed by federal government to the tune of N600 billion and they are in court.
A senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Femi Falana  who shed more light on the issue said the federal government contribution to NDDC has not been paid since 1999 saying it is running up to the tune of a trillion naira.