Former Warlords Agree to Work with  NDDC Board Chairman

Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

A coalition of ex-militants under the aegis of the 21st Century Youths of Niger Delta and Agitators with Conscience (21st CYNDAC) has agreed to work withChairman, Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Lauretta Onochie.

 In a statement by its spokesman, Izon Ebi yesterday, the coalition said former militants in Niger Delta had finally resolved to work with her to achieve the commission’s objectives.

 The statement said they decided to work with the management of NDDC led by Onochie for the over-all interest and good of the Niger Delta region and its people.

 The statement said: “With the long standing culture of respect for hierarchy and rule of law in our movement, the 21st CYNDAC have resolved to work with the new NDDC chairman,  in order to restore the deteriorating land of the Niger Delta.

 “Owing to the setbacks that greeted our struggles to reposition the Niger Delta, inspired by the subterfuge from the previous NDDC administration, 21st CYNDAC have not been on good terms with the NDDC board.  Nevertheless, transfer of anger can only be a setback for the total restoration of the Niger Delta.

 “As NDDC is the most important tool in the race to remediate the damages in our region, 21st CYNDAC acknowledge the influence from our stakeholders and Royal Fathers to trust and support Onochie in her promises to work with us to bring sanity in the NDDC.

 “Our former resistance on the new board was not born out of hatred for the person of Pastor Lauretta Onochie or board members, but a way to show our dissatisfaction for the prejudices melted on the Niger Delta people by the previous NDDC boards.

“Behind our acceptance to work with Pastor Onochie ranges from the fact that she is an ordained woman of God with outstanding track record in intellectuality and integrity to her being the first woman to head the NDDC board,  since the commission came into existence. 

“Also we want a chairman that will make public the forensic audit committee report and probe the previous chairman of NDDC from the tenure of Nsima Ekere to that of Effiong Akwa for transparency.

“Finally, we congratulate our amiable chairman and managing director on their appointment to head this important commission.  The 21st CYNDAC looks forward to working closely with the new board to make NDDC great and put smiles on the faces of the great people of the Niger Delta.”

The group said they have resolved to receive Onochie, an educationist and an ordained woman of God, as their own daughter.