Controversy over NDDC empowerment programme in C’River

The empowerment programme organised by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in Cross River State has triggered controversy, following allegations that the intervention, which included the distribution of 150 minibuses and 200 tricycles, was unfairly concentrated within the Cross River South senatorial district.

The programme, held in Calabar, also featured financial literacy and entrepreneurship training for 500 youths as part of efforts aimed at boosting self-reliance and economic sustainability among beneficiaries.

Speaking during the skills acquisition and capacity enhancement programme, the Managing Director of the NDDC, Samuel Ogbuku, said the initiative reflected the commission’s commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

Ogbuku, represented by the commission’s Director of Commercial and Industrial Development, Mrs. Lyna Okara, described the intervention as more than a routine distribution exercise.

“This empowerment programme is not just about giving out vehicles and grants; it is about creating opportunities, restoring hope and enabling the people to build better futures for themselves and their families,” he stated.

READ ALSO: APC, INEC set for collision over Yobe, Akwa-Ibom senatorial tickets

Also, the NDDC Executive Director of Projects, Dr. Victor Antai, represented by the Director of NDDC in Cross River State office, Dr. Daniel Ajunwa, urged beneficiaries to make productive use of the opportunity to improve their livelihoods and support others within their communities.

However, shortly after the programme, controversy erupted across social and political circles in the state following claims that the intervention was allegedly designed for the entire state, but was cornered for beneficiaries from Cross River South by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong.

Human rights activist and journalist, Agba Jalingo, accused the senator of appropriating a state-wide intervention for political advantage.

“This is not the programme of any senator; it is the intervention of the NDDC for the Cross River, which has been cornered by Senator Ekpenyong and this is unfair,” Jalingo alleged.

He called on Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe and Eteng Jones Williams, representing Cross River North and Central senatorial districts respectively, to publicly respond to what he described as an injustice against their districts.

The allegation further generated reactions from political stakeholders, including the Special Adviser to the wife of the Governor on New Media and Communication, Kenneth Anam, who criticised what he described as attempts to create division among people of the state.

“The government of the day is people-first. The senator’s personal action has only succeeded in stirring a non-existent disaffection and division in the hearts of the people from the North and Central,” Anam stated.

Also, Francis Udie, however, insisted that the growing concerns among Cross Riverians stemmed from perceptions that federal projects, appointments and opportunities linked to Senator Ekpenyong were increasingly concentrated in Cross River South to the exclusion of other districts.

Udie argued that as a national public office holder, the senator owed a broader responsibility to promote fairness and inclusiveness across the entire state.

“Many people in the state believe that development should not be limited to one region while others feel neglected,” he stated, warning that such perceptions could deepen political divisions in the state.

In response to the controversy, the NDDC formally issued a clarification distancing itself from claims that the empowerment programme was intended for the whole state.

In a statement signed by the director of the commission Cross River office, Dr. Daniel Ajunwa, the NDDC described circulating reports suggesting the programme was a statewide intervention as ‘misleading commentaries and inaccurate interpretations.’

“The programme in question was facilitated by the Senator representing Cross River South senatorial district. The programme was designed specifically for beneficiaries from communities within Cross River South senatorial district and not a statewide programme,” the commission clarified.

The NDDC further disclosed that several federal ministries, departments and agencies participated in the May 9 empowerment exercise held in Calabar, stressing that the intervention remained a constituency-focused initiative.

The commission cautioned against the spread of misinformation capable of generating unnecessary political tension and urged members of the public to disregard claims suggesting that the programme was originally designed for the entire state.