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NDDC Board: Anything other than June deadline won’t be acceptable, IYC to Akpabio, FG
Amgbare Ekaunkumo, Yenagoa
The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide has called on the Federal Government and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to honour the June deadline agreement reached with stakeholders on the constitution of the substantive board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The IYC in a statement signed by its President, Peter Timothy Igbifa and made available to DAYBREAK NEWS in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Wednesday said, youths would not accept anything other than constituting the board before the end of June as agreed with the stakeholders.
Igbifa told President Muhammadu Buhari that anybody suggesting the extension of the current arrangement in NDDC till July ending was an enemy of his administration.
He insisted that any politician or a member of his cabinet trying to give reasons for any extension simply desired to plunge the Niger Delta, the mainstay of the country’s economy, into avoidable crisis.
Igbifa insisted that the stakeholders, who met and agreed on the current deadline should not be taken for granted because of the greed of one individual.
The IYC boss said it was no longer tenable to continue to use the ongoing forensic audit of the commission to perpetrate the ongoing injustice in NDDC.
He said: “We are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to honour tye agreement between the Niger Delta stakeholders and the federal government on the constitution of the NDDC substantive board before the end of this month.
“Any attempt to demand extension of the ongoing anomaly in NDDC will be resisted vehemently by our youths. It is expected that by now the Federal Government will have released the list of the board nominees. But up till now nothing has happened and the time left is highly reduced.
“What is coming if this agreement is not honoured is unimaginable. Our youths are ready to totally shut down the region this time around. No politician will be allowed to continue playing with the sensibilities of the people of the region”.
June 23, 2021
Akpabio Gives Date For Submission Of NDDC Forensic Audit To Buhari
Minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio has revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari will receive the report of the ongoing forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) next month.
Akpabio indicated this while responding to questions from State House correspondents after a meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari at the State House on Wednesday.
He maintained that the exercise was started not just to clean up the mess in the NDDC, but to reposition the commission and ensure optimal performance and that much progress on the forensic audit has been made.
The minister further declared that Nigeria cannot afford a crisis in South-South as recorded in other regions of the country because of its importance to the economic survival of the nation.
Akpabio equally noted that he has been meeting with stakeholders in the region as a way of calming tension. He also recommended that political leaders from other crisis-prone regions do the same to curb restiveness.
June 23, 2021
Group kick against moves to replace confirmed NDDC board nominees
A rights group, under the auspices of Niger Delta Movement for Peace and Justice, NDMPJ, has kicked against moves by some groups in the Niger Delta region to present a fresh list of nominees for the board of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.
National Coordinator of NDMPJ, Comrade Etifit Nkereuwem in a statement made available to newsmen yesterday in Uyo, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to go ahead to inaugurate the 15 nominees already confirmed by the Senate in November 2019.
Nkereuwem warned that failure to inaugurate the already confirmed nominees would worsen the controversy trailing the inauguration of the NDDC governing board in the Niger Delta region lately.
He further noted that it was even wrong for another list of nominees to be presented for screening and confirmation when the already confirmed nominees were not dissolved.
His words, “Niger Delta Movement for Peace and Justice aligns itself with the people of the Niger Delta region to call on Mr President to inaugurate the governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) without further delay.
“However it is sad to hear that the Senate is currently contemplating another screening of fresh nominees for the NDDC governing board. It appears that you (the President) have bowed to pressure from some selfish individuals in the Niger Delta to ignore members of the board that have already been constituted, awaiting swearing-in.
“This has never happened in the history of democracy in Nigeria. No President of this country has had his screened and confirmed nominees replaced even before they were sworn in.
“We therefore demand Mr President to demonstrate that he is a true democrat, principled politician and man of proven integrity by going ahead to inaugurate the 15 nominees already screened and confirmed by the Senate in November 2019 for the NDDC governing board”
The National Coordinator of NDMPJ expressed the hope that the Senate would not not fall to the temptation of abusing democratic principles.
June 17, 2021
Save NDDC, Niger Delta Women Tell Buhari
Niger Delta women under the umbrella of National Association of Niger Delta Women (NANDW) have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently save the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) from its current state as well as prevent the violence currently brewing in the region.
The women in a letter sent to President Buhari, which was made available to THISDAY yesterday, lamented that with the present situation at the commission, they are the ones that would be affected by the “recklessness and the near absence of development in the Niger Delta region hence this outcry.”
NANDW in the letter, which was signed by its Chairman, Mrs. Lovette Onos; Mrs Preye Kokumor, Mrs. Nkwor Ubong, Mrs. Julie Achibong, said they had rejoiced when the president ordered a forensic audit into the activities of the NDDC, “considering the rot and corruption in the system,” as many contractors ran back to either commence their jobs or complete them in the region.
They, however, added that the excitement was cut short “soon after many contractors discovered that it was not a big deal, as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Godswill Akpabio, was in charge and not the presidency. Everything went back to square one, unfortunately.”
“As wives, mothers, and market women who live in the various states of the Niger Delta, we are pained by the recent development in the NDDC. We are the ones that are most affected by the recklessness and the near absence of development in the region hence this outcry.
“Mr. President, we plead with you most passionately to hearken to our cries and supplications. It is unbelievable that the so-called forensic audit is still ongoing and we wonder why it is unending. The forensic audit is a carefully orchestrated plan by Akpabio to take total control of the NDDC at the detriment of the entire Niger Delta people.
“He has pocketed the NDDC and he is now acting as if he is God unto himself, without an iota of control from the President of this country.”
The Niger Delta women, however, humbly implore the president to as a matter of urgency sack the sole administrator of the commission, “and constitute a board comprising men and women of high moral standing with proven track records, and must refuse any list from Akpabio. He cannot be the one to constitute the NDDC Board. That power rests squarely on you the president.
Secondly, it is our plea that the NDDC be removed from the ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and placed under the direct supervision of the presidency as it was hitherto.
“Our points have been made. We have spoken and we expect our president to listen to us. We will nevertheless undergo a protest and close down the NDDC offices across the Niger Delta and also shut the East-West Road with the assistance of our able-bodied youths if our demands are not met.”
June 8, 2021
2023: Group makes case for a South South President
A group, South-South Presidency 2023 Advocacy Group, has urged people of the geopolitical zone not to accept the position of vice president in the forthcoming 2023 elections.
It also warned them against accepting the position of National Chairman of any political party in the country in order to ensure that a South-South president come into reality in 2023.
In a communique jointly signed by the Protem Chairman, Chief Diekivie Ikiogha and made available to newsmen in Uyo yesterday, the group also called on all political blocs to set the record straight by allowing South-South to complete its tenure.
It stressed that south-south must complete it presidency tenure of eight years for the purpose of fairness, justice and equity.
“The Group is committed to advocating for a President of South-South extraction come 2023.
“The Group accepts and stands by the position of leaders of the Southern and Middle Belt that no South-South person aspires to or accepts to become vice presidential candidate or chairman of any political party in the country.
“We are ill treated, to heal the wounds, the records must be put straight so that we will have that sense of belonging and have confidence that, we are one Nigeria.
“The Group will reach out to and engage all the States of the Federation as well as ethnic nationalities, to look into this project. It said.
On the ongoing Constitution review, the group advised the National Assembly to create a platform which would give all Nigerians an opportunity to give themselves a people’s constitution that would allow for true federalism.
“Worried about the growing insecurity in the country, we urges the President, National Assembly, security agencies traditional and religious leaders and all Nigerians to set up efforts in addressing issues that have caused and ignited the current situation in order to secure the sovereignty of the country, while also protecting lives and property.” It said.
It, however, urged the Federal Government to quickly inaugurate the substantive board of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to avoid any crisis and to enable it achieve the goals and objectives for which it was established.
June 7, 2021
Ijaw youths shut NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt
Hundreds of protesting Ijaw youths on Thursday shut down the Headquaters of the Niger Delta Development Commission Eastern By-Pass in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The protesters under the aegis of the Ijaw Youths Council, numbering over 700, all dressed in the council’s uniform.
They hoisted the Green-Red-Blue IYC flag in front of the commission’s secretariat, preventing any human and vehicular entry.
The ijaw youths mounted two tents in front of the main entrance of the newly-commissioned complex, singing and dancing to solidarity songs.
Assistant Secretary of IYC, Eastern Zone, Ibiso Harry, said the action was directed by the IYC President, Peter Igbifa, following the expiration of the deadline given to the Federal Govermment to constitute a substantive board for the NDDC.
A team of policemen with security vehicles were spotted at the complex monitoring the protesting youths, who vow to remain untill the NDDC board was inaugurated.
Details later…
May 27, 2021
NYCN Backs Akwa as NDDC Sole Administrator
The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has thrown its weight behind the interim sole administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for his prudent, transparent and frugal management of resources that has witnessed massive execution of impactful projects in the region within a short period of time.
The NYCN, in a communiqué it issued after a 3 week tour and assessment on the state of affairs in the Niger Delta region, said it was impressed by the quantity and quality of work done by the commission under Mr. Effiong Akwa, noting also that the feat of performance has won the confidence of the masses and has translated to relative peace in the commission and the region in general.
The communiqué, which was signed by NYCN President, Comrade Solomon Adodo and Secretary, Suleiman Musa, further sued for support from youths and other stakeholders in the region for President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, rather than taking sides with a few who hitherto converted the NDDC to their private estate.
“No President has given the Niger Delta the attention it has received under President Muhammadu Buhari. The agitations that had hindered development in the region are being dealt with from the grassroots genuinely. The President has equally stamped his feet in ensuring that there is transparency in the management of NDDC. The forensic audit is one thing that has brought sanity in the administration of the NDDC,” it read in part.
The NYCN also alleged that state governors in the region were pushing for crisis in the region for their selfish gains and urged them to realize that they cannot dictate to the Federal Government, stressing that most of them have hand-bagged local government administrations and now want to extend their imperial tendencies to the Federal Government.
The national umbrella youth body pledged to resist any attempt to blackmail the President and the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs in their bid to support development in the region.
The communiqué read further that “considering the outcry by some politicians, particularly those opposed to the drastic reform of the NDDC, it was very surprising to note amongst other things that due to the direct developmental interventions of the Federal Government, the region looks unto the future with greater hope, while appreciating the works being sincerely done.
“That while politicians are in Abuja crying foul and others within their ranks have seized the media to blackmail President Muhammadu Buhari and the Honourable Minister of Niger-Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, the ordinary citizens of the Niger-Delta, who are at least over 99% of the population, welcome the Forensic Audit of the NDDC as ordered by Mr. President.
“That due to the forensic audit, contractors who had hitherto abandoned their jobs after collecting huge sums of money from NDDC have now returned to their project sites to continue the works for which they were paid. Thus every naira of the Federal Government being spent can now be accounted for with matching projects that have directly felt impact on the masses. We have seen firsthand the massive road and bridge constructions simultaneously ongoing in the region amongst other intervention programs.
“That the speedy completion and commissioning of the NDDC permanent headquarters is not only a novel achievement in providing a conducive environment for the discharge of duties of the Commission, but also a blockade of a huge loophole through which the resources of the Commission were being siphoned via inflated and unnecessary rent.
“That the relocation of the NDDC from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affair is responsible for the better attention the Commission is receiving, which has translated to better development.
“That any form of blackmail against the President Muhammadu Buhari administration must be met with stiff resistance on account of the several sincere developmental strides of the government in the region.”
It further appealed to governments at all levels in the region, as well as traditional and religious leaders, to consolidate on the feat achieved by the Federal Government in ensuring that the region attains her rightful place in the national developmental equation.
May 10, 2021
Still on NDDC abandoned road projects
By Okechukwu Keshi Ukegbu
Abia communities of Isiala Ntighauzo and Ntighauzo Amairi all in Ntighauzo Ancient Kingdom,Obingwa local government area, recently joined the list of communities that have protested abandonment of road projects in their domain by the Niger Delta Development Commission.
Members of the community- the aged, women, men, youths and children took to the street to express their grievance over untold hardship and excruciating pains the abandoned Apu na Ali and Iferife roads have subjected them to.
What aptly captures the experience the people of those communities could be likened to J.P Clark’s epic poem” The casualties” where he described a category of the Nigerian civil war victims as” those buried by instalment”
True to Clark’s description some folks from both communities have lost their limbs courtesy of road mishaps recorded on those roads. It will be an effort in futility to enumerate the fortunes lost in replacing motor, motorcycle, tricycle and bicycle tyres lost by the members of those communities on those roads. It is even easier for the Biblical proverbial horse to pass through the eye of the needle than members of the communities to play the roads after rainfall.
To say that the roads are in bad shapes is an understatement. Unfortunately, the contractors handling the roads could not go beyond the stone laying and as the rains continued unabated over the seasons, the stones are exposed rendering the roads precarious.
Adindu Johnson, the President of a pressure group in the communities, Ntighauzo Progressives, said for three years, the contractor, SACON Engineering Company abandoned the project.
According to him,“Each time we confront the contractor about the roads, he would tell us he was coming to complete it, but up till moment, nothing has happened”.
What aggrieves members of the community more is the boldness exhibited by one of the contractor, one Okey Nwamu who is reported to have said that the villagers did not give him any contract, and as such should channel their grievances to NDDC which gave him the contract.
The people said that they are“ are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to direct NDDC to prevail on the contractor to return to site immediately and complete the road projects to save people of the area from further hardship”. While the traditional rulers, Eze Israel Uduki and Nwakwue Akpulonu are appealing to NDDC to compel the contractors to complete the projrcts to save members of the communities from further suffering.
The communities which issued 30 days ultimatum said that they are not resting on their oars until the projects are completed.
It will be recalled that protests by communities have recently trailed NDDC projects. There had been protest by six communities at Iyekogba area of Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State over the abandonment of a road construction contracted awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission and the continued deplorable condition of roads leading to the communities.
Also residents and indigenes of the communities, comprising Evbowe, Uholor, Utangban, Efionayi, Evbuodia and Ulemon, have also taken to the streets of their communities to protest the abandoned road project that was supposed to link the communities from Iyekogba near Ogba River to Upper Ekenwan road leading to Gelegele.
There is strong appeal here for NDDC to live up to the functions establishing it, which include:
The formulation of policies and guidelines for the development of Niger Delta areas; To conceive, plan and implement, with set rules and regulations, projects and programmes for the sustainable development of the Niger Delta area in the field of transportation ( including roads), jetties and waterways, health, education, employment, industrialization, agriculture and fisheries, housing, urban development, water supply, electricity and telecommunication; Preparing master plans and schemes to promote the physical development of the Niger Delta area and the cost of implementing such master plans and schemes.
Others are: Tacking ecological and environmental problems arising from the exploration of oil minerals in the Niger Delta and advising the federal government and the member states in the prevention and control of oil spills, gas glaring and environmental pollution; Leasing with the various oil minerals gas prospecting and producing companies on all matters of pollution prevention and control; Assessing and reporting on any project being funded and carried out in the Niger Delta area by gas producing companies and any other other company including non-governmental organisations and ensuring that funds released for such are properly utilised.
May 9, 2021
Akpabio fingers Govt officials, stakeholders for NDDC’s failure-Akpabio
Niger Delta Affairs minister, Senator Godswill Akpabio has blamed government officials and all relevant stakeholders in the Niger Delta region for the past failures of the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) to deliver on its mandate.
Akpabio who stated this on Friday in Uyo in a keynote address to flag-off the NDDC retreat identified corruption, weak governance and institutional weaknesses, lack of proper synergy as some of the drawbacks of the interventionist agency.
The Minister who also supervises the NDDC said that transparency and inclusiveness in the commission’s budgeting systems, evaluation and strict monitoring of projects and programmes are necessary for the NDDC to impact meaningfully in the region.
“We have just finished the Capacity Building Workshop organized with critical stakeholders covering, the National Assembly, the State Governments of the Region, the Oil Companies, the traditional rulers, Civil Societies, the youth and NDDC Management.
”For the Commission to effectively and efficiently deliver on its mandate, as captured in Section 7 of the Niger Delta Development Commission (Establishment, etc.) Act (as amended), it was decided to look at ways at achieving an all-inclusive budget.
”It is clear that fiscal transparency in budgeting has been compromised, not only by executive overrides, but by weak internal mechanisms, which give little or no resistance to overbearing external influences.” He explained.
He added that ‘corruption remained one of the greatest problems of the Nigerian society and is also rooted in the Commission
”It has been reported that the level of corruption engulfed all the sectors including government, parastatals, ministries, government officials and community leaders even the youth leaders and NDDC was not left out in the act.
”If strengthening NDDC, as an institution through its budgeting systems, as well as through its procurement, monitoring, evaluation and compliance processes, is not achieved, then the bells of doom would, inevitably, begin to toll harder.
”Secondly, we should look at governance issues. It is often stated that “weak political and institutional governance in the Niger Delta has led to the misuse of public resources, poor service delivery, and the poor enforcement, of the law.
”The consequence has been the lingering restiveness, the breakdown of trust, abuse and misuse of power between officials and the communities, and embezzlement and attendant violence.
”Yet, every concerned party is guilty. Private investors in the oil and gas sector, factions of different community restive groups, traditional rulers, the regulatory and supervisory agencies and government officials have been fingered as contributory to the challenges in establishing good governance”. Akpabio said.
In his welcome remarks, the Interim Administrator of the NDDC, Mr. Efiong Akwa said the retreat is aimed at furthering ongoing consultations between the commission and all relevant stakeholders for effective development of the region.
April 17, 2021
Group urges Akpabio, NDDC MD to rescue Nsasak- Urua Inyang-Iko Uko-Azumini Road
Members of Akwa Ibom Democratic forum (ADF) in Ika Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom yesterday appealed to Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio and the Sole Administrator of NDDC, Bar Effiong Akwa to rescue the Deplorable Nsasak- Urua Inyang-Ikot Uko – Azumni Road to alleviate their difficulties in movement.
The 20km road which is another gate way connecting Akwa Ibom and Abia State started from Nsasak in Essien Udim Local Government Area and passes through Urua Inyang, Ikot Uko in Ika Local Government Area and ends in Azumini Abia State.
The road, according to the Coordinator of Akwa Ibom Democratic forum in Ika, Barr. Uyobong Udom has been listed for construction by Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) over the years without positive action.
Addressing members of the group after the formal inauguration of the Chapter Executives, the Director General of Akwa Ibom Democratic forum, ObongEmem Ekperikpe Ekpo who recounted the economic viability of the road when constructed, assured them that he will take their passionate appeal to Senator Godswill Akpabio and Barr. Effiong Akwa.
According to Ekpo, “We have to thank God for providing our grand leader Chief Godswill Akpabio with another unique office to continue his good works to the people. He always has Ika people at heart and will use his good office to ensure the quick delivery of the road project for public usage.”
The DG, a former member of House of Representatives recalled that Chief Godswill Akpabio’s generosity manifested greatly when he was a commissioner and He (Ekpo) the Chairman of Ika Local Government Area then.
“Chief Godswill Akpabio as commissioner shunned personal aggrandizement to build people and bridges of friendship across the state.
“He came to serve the state not to become a Governor but worked himself to become the Governor. In one of our foreign trip as Council Chairman then to South Africa, all the 31 Council Chairman in what we called South African Accord endorsed him to take over as next Governor after Obong Victor Attah because of his selfless service and deep love for the people.
“That endorsement materialized in 2007 and Akwa Ibom witnessed uncommon transformation. As then Commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, He also gave us (then council chairmen) the opportunity to serve the people well. In Ika, he approved and supported my building the Unity Hall in the Council among other projects. He is the most popular living Akwa Ibom person today and we are very proud to associate with him as our grand leader.” He explained.
Ekpo urge Akwa Ibom people to appreciate God for giving the State a dependable leader in the person of Senator Godswill Akpabio whose love for selfless services and people cut across ethic, tribal and religious barriers and who has provided credible leadership as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs to Niger Deltans and Nigeria
Also speaking a former Deputy Inspector general of police Mr Udom Ekpoudom urged the newly inaugurated executives of local chapters of ADF to remain focused to the ideals of the group.
Ekpoudom who recalled the many achievements of the grand leader of the group Senator Godswill Akpabio as Governor, Senator, and presently a serving Minister of NigerDelta Affairs opined that Akpabio remains a visionary, pragmatic and trustworthy leader and urged ADF members to follow his footsteps.
The Inauguration of the Chapter Executives of ADF which was assisted by the Administrator of the group Barr. Chris Okorie took place at Ika, Etim Ekpo and Essien Udim LGAS amidst fanfare with Barr. Uyobong Udom, Mr. Ubong Afia and Mr. Uduak Etim Udom respectively emerging chapter coordinators.
They all pledged their total loyalty to the grand leader Senator Godswill Akpabio and the ideals of the group and promised to work with their executives to achieve the objectives of the group.
March 22, 2021