Ndoma-Egba Promises Complete Overhaul of NDDC

Bassey Inyang in Calabar

The Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has stated that there will be a complete audit of the commission to place it on better stead to develop the region which in dire need of socio-economic infrastructure.

Ndoma-Egba who spoke with journalists Friday evening, as a sideline of a mini reception staged in his Abuja residence after the commission’s board was inaugurated, said the planned audit which would be comprehensive would form the basis for effective implementation of the commission’s mandate of developing the region.

Ndoma-Egba said at the outcomes of the audit would provide the necessary compass for the implementation of developmental projects and programmes.

“First of all, we would need to carry out a number of audits. An audit of our systems, audit of our processes, audit of our projects and audit of our personnel so that we can have a true picture of, not only the governance systems, but also a true picture of our obligations,” Ndoma-Egba said.

The NDDC chairman disclosed that the commission would use a long term template in the execution of programmes and projects as captured in its master plan which has never been implemented since it was developed about a decade ago.

“Secondly, we have to develop a master plan. There was a master plan that was drawn up before. It was a 15-year plan. It is more than 10 years after the plan was drawn up, so it is either we do a new plan or we revalidate the old one. But there has to be a master plan that would govern planning for the region.

“Part of the problem has been that the NDDC is budgeted for on a year-by-year basis. It would not work. We have to have a long term to say this is what we want to see out of the Niger Delta, and then you use the yearly budget to achieve that ultimate goal. Those are some of the things we intend to set out to do,” Ndoma-Egba stated.

He promised that the new board members would not fail the people of the region in the task set before them, but added that the people must be prepared to contribute their quota in the development of their regions, which he noted would be of immense benefit to them.