Niger Delta: Gas producing companies to contribute to funding NDDC

The federal government has said gas producing companies and all other associated gas companies will contribute mandatorily to funding the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Senator Ita Enang, Special Adviser to the President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly Matters, said this to State House Correspondents on Friday.

He said that President Buhari has assented to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Amendment Bill.

According to him, the NDDC Act will mandate gas producing companies to contribute to the funding of the NDDC effective from 2017.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has assented to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Amendment Bill, which allows and mandates the gas producing companies to compulsorily contribute funds to the NDDC thus diversifying the sources of funding the NDDC.

“The Act comes into effect in 2017. So from the year 2017 the gas producing companies and all the associated gas companies will be contributing mandatorily to the NDDC,” the president’s aide said.

Enang also said President Buhari has assented to the Federal Capital Territory Bill thus legalizing the operations and budget implementation by the Federal Capital Territory Administration.

He said the President also signed the Bill on the FCT Water Board, the Cancer Research Institute Bill, the Prohibition of Torture Bill and the Bill on compulsory treatment of gun victims, among others.

He added that a lot of other bills passed recently which processes had been completed had just been transmitted to the President by the National Assembly for assent.

The Presidential aide also spoke on the one billion dollars approved by governors for the Federal Government to tackle insecurity in the country, saying that the money is yet to be drawn down.