How advocacy groups force NDDC to complete abandoned projects ― ANEEJ

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7 years ago

THE Executive Director of Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), Rev David Ugolor, has identified paucity of funds and political considerations in the allocation and siting projects as therefore major bane of the different interventionist agencies in the resource-rich but impoverished Niger Delta region of the country.

Speaking with journalists yesterday in Benin, Ugolor lamented that one of the major problems of Niger Delta Institutions within the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) states was lack of commitments to fulfil its mandate to the people.

While noting the lack of commitment by the agency in fulfilling its mandate to the people, the activist said that about 35 abandoned projects have been completed in Edo, Delta and Cross River states and several revived by the Niger Delta Development Commission on(NDDC).

He disclosed that during the first two years of the project, which commenced in October 2014 with ANEEJ/Lite-Africa as well as their cluster members undertook specific activities to strengthen the capacity of CSOs to engage the Niger Delta Institutions to promote transparency, accountability and effectiveness.

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He added that research on the mandate of NDIs were carried out and performance established in the Citizen Report Card (CRC), noting that the results of the research and CRC was condensed into policy papers and used to engage the respective NDIs.

According to Ugolor, the second phase of the project which is to end in October this year, the body developed the Niger Delta Institutions Transparency Index platform with 49 indicators under five categories to promote transparency and accountability of the NDIs in pursuit of their mandate.

He said: “The index which was also aimed at promoting healthy competition among the institutions as well as increase citizens participation and knowledge of the NDIs activities, have over four years now achieved a lot.”

He listed some of the achievements as the publication by the NDDC of its first-quarter report on its website in 2016 with budget and expenditure details; inauguration of independent CSO project monitoring committee by NDDC, completion of some abandoned projects a