Prioritise Development Over Serving Politicians in N/Delta, Group Urges NDDC

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

The Niger Delta Patriotic Council has charged the management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to focus on delivering development for the Niger Delta region instead of serving politicians’ selfish interests.

This is just as the group accused the leadership of the Senate and some senators of hijacking the NDDC and making the commission ineffective.

The President of the group and Secretary General, Adolphus Pereladei and Oghenero  Efemena respectively, made this accusation in a statement they jointly signed and made available to journalists.

According to the statement, after their emergency meeting in Warri, Delta State, they resolved that a few persons had hijacked the NDDC for their selfish interest against the entire people of the region.

They alleged that some powerful people in the Senate, and its Committee are the major culprits.

“We are aware on good authority that some few persons have hijacked the NDDC for their selfish interest against the entire people of the region.

“These individuals are not allowing the NDDC board to deliver growth and development of the region because they are the ones collecting all the major contracts from the commission. 

The statement noted that as a result of the activities of these lawmakers, several projects in the Niger Delta have not been able to be completed, especially the East-West road.

“It is as a result of these individuals the East-West road is in a deplorable state because monies meant for such projects goes into the pocket of these individuals”, the statement read.

Furthermore, the group alleged that these senators do not allow the Managing Director of the NDDC to discharge his official duties without interference.

“Even the Managing Director of the NDDC is not even allowed to do his work because these powerful men are putting him under pressure to always service their interest and the MD is tired but he has no choice because these men are powerful in government”, the group said.

While reminding the Managing Director of the NDDC and all the management staff of the commission of their primary mandate which is to bring development to the region, the group urged them to concentrate and desist from serving or patronising politicians.

“So we are calling on all well-meaning Niger Delta leaders to stand up and protect our common patrimony. 

“We are calling on the Managing Director of the NDDC to sit up and concentrate on bringing development to the people of Niger Delta or face the wrath of his people. His focus is to bring development to the region,  not patronising politicians with our resources”, the group added.