Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lopkobiri has been accused by the Concerned Niger Delta Group (CNDG) of meddling with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).

CNDG President, Trueson Ogiri said that the minister’s dispute with NCDMB’s Secretary, Omatsola Ogbe over the issue of staff redeployment is affecting the organisation.

He added that the Minister’s actions have raised questions about his motivations and the potential consequences for the institution.

Ogiri said that the Minister’s involvement in staff redeployment decisions undermines the NCDMB’s autonomy and independence, as the Secretary, whose role it is to oversee the organisation’s day-to-day operations, has reportedly been overruled in several instances when he sought to make staff changes based on merit and organisational needs.

He also accused Lokpobiri of influencing the decision-making process by imposing his preferred candidates for specific positions without sufficient justification.

He said: “Employees with the necessary qualifications and experience for key roles are reportedly being overlooked, causing demotivation and decreased productivity within the organisation.”

“The NCDMB has a critical role in regulating and developing local content in the oil and gas sector, so its decision-making processes must be guided by competence, transparency, and adherence to established rules.”