Group says rampant NDDC shakeups slows down N’Delta progress

Development advocacy group, New Face of the Niger Delta Initiatives (NFDI) has complained to President Muhammadu Buhari that the “rampant hiring and firing” of boards of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, “is slowing down” progress of the region.

The group also complained that the proposed forensic audit of the NDDC was taking too long to materialise.

President of NFDI, Eziwomano Ighoegwo-Ogboru, in a statement on Saturday in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, urged the President and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio to appoint a substantive NDDC board and stop, forthwith, the frequent sack and engagement of caretakers as that was against the Act setting up the commission.

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He said to Buhari, “Stop the divide and rule with Niger Delta people. The region, for decades of sustenance of the nation’s economy and its peculiarly difficult terrain in terms of development, is too sensitive to be toyed with by any individual or group.

“Buhari and Akpabio and supervising minister, stop aggravating divisiveness in the Niger Delta. There is no iota of virtue in everyday sack and shakeups in NDDC. It is slowing down the development of the region. Install a substantive board as established in the Act.

“A situation where the President keeps changing Managing Directors of the Commission since the inception of his government without recourse to the Act establishing the NDDC is a gimmick so inimical to the common good of the region.”

He further said the hyped forensic audit for the NDDC was taking too long to materialise, warning that the people in the region could rise against the government in massive protest and court action if the vexed issues were not resolved in time.

“We challenge President Buhari to show proof of any major project carried out in the region since the inception of his administration. He should be wary of deceit by Abuja politicians and stop changing the goal post in the middle of the game as it affects Niger Delta”, he further said.