The Ndoshimili Development Union (NDU) has issued a strong call to sons and daughters of Ndoshimili at home and in the diaspora to actively engage political aspirants ahead of the forthcoming elections, urging them to prioritise issues of development over political rhetoric and inducements.
In a statement signed by its President-General, Engr. Ike Onyenokwe, the union said the campaign season presents a critical opportunity for the people of Ndoshimili to shape the future of the area by demanding concrete commitments from those seeking elective office.
The union lamented what it described as decades of neglect despite Ndoshimili’s significant contribution to Nigeria’s economy through oil and gas production.
According to the statement, the area hosts oil facilities producing more than 100,000 barrels of crude oil daily, over 300 million cubic feet of gas per day, as well as an Independent Power Plant supplying electricity to 16 states.
Despite these economic contributions, the union said many communities continue to grapple with poor road infrastructure, lack of electricity, unemployment, environmental degradation and limited political representation.
The NDU noted that successive democratic administrations since 1999 have failed to translate the area’s economic importance into meaningful development, insisting that the forthcoming elections must mark a turning point.
Calling on residents to become active participants in the electoral process, the union advised voters to carefully scrutinise every candidate seeking their support.
It urged the electorate to demand specific commitments on the long-delayed Oko–Abala–Utchi–Aboh–Onyah–Patani Coastal Road, implementation of the three per cent Host Community Development Fund provided under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), electricity supply to host communities, employment opportunities for local youths in oil and gas companies, shoreline protection, river dredging, flood control along the River Niger and increased representation in agencies such as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC).
The union further encouraged voters to insist on written commitments and community-based town hall meetings rather than relying on campaign promises, warning against vote-buying, political patronage and ethnic sentiment.
Addressing political parties, the NDU declared that Ndoshimili would no longer accept candidates imposed for political convenience or personal loyalty.
It stressed that only aspirants with proven integrity, competence and a clear development agenda for the area would receive the support of the people.
As part of its campaign strategy, the union announced plans to educate voters across Ndoshimili communities and the diaspora, engage candidates across party lines, publicly assess their manifestos, resist electoral malpractice and demand transparency in the management of Host Community Funds, NDDC allocations and other resources meant for the area.
The NDU maintained that, as a major contributor to Nigeria’s economic prosperity, Ndoshimili deserved quality roads, electricity, healthcare, schools, employment opportunities and greater inclusion in decisions affecting its future.
The union called on all Ndoshimili sons and daughters, both within Nigeria and abroad, to unite in pursuing a common vision of a more prosperous, equitable and well-developed homeland.
