No plan to marginalise any community in Niger Delta ― NDDC

THE management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has denied an insinuation that the interventionist agency is planning to exclude some communities in its development initiatives in the Niger Delta region.

The denial was contained in a statement issued by the Head, Corporate Affairs, NDDC, Chijioke Amu-Nnadi and made available to Tribune online, on Tuesday.

NDDC noted that it recently published a list of 375 infrastructural projects in three national newspapers, as well as on the commission’s website, as part of an ongoing process to implement the 2016 NDDC Budget, which the present Governing Board and Management inherited.

“Since that publication, it has come to our attention that a few ethnic nationalities have raised concerns about the list of projects advertised. While we understand and appreciate these concerns, the commission wishes to state, categorically, that there is no attempt to exclude any ethnic group, area or community from its developmental initiatives.

“Indeed, it is the policy of the new Governing Board and Management to address every development need of the communities of the Niger Delta, employing the approved equity distribution principle as enshrined in the NDDC Act of 2000.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the commission is in the process of advertising additional projects, which contains projects in these areas, particularly in Delta, Ondo, Cross River and other affected states. This publication will be made as soon as all necessary checks are concluded to avoid incidences of project duplication with other agencies.

“We call on all stakeholders of the Niger Delta region to engage with the commission constructively in addressing perceived grievances and concerns. The commission is determined to make a difference in the Niger Delta and is prepared and willing to work with all groups in the region to achieve this long-held aspiration of our people”, the statement read.

The NDDC management also restated that it was, indeed, building a robust and engaging partnership with all stakeholder groups and called for more dialogue in the quest to facilitate sustainable development in the region.