Delta State Governor and
Chairman of South-South
Governors’ Forum, Sen. (Dr)
Ifeanyi Okowa, Thursday
frowned at the continued refusal
of President Muhammadu
Buhari to reconstitute the board
of the Niger Delta Development
Commission (NDDC).
Speaking when he led his Akwa-
Ibom counterpart, Mr Udom
Emmanuel, to commission
some roads, bridge and school
p r o j e c t s b u i l t b y h i s
administration in Agbarho and
Oleh, Okowa said it was great
injustice for the Federal
Government to continue to run
the NDDC without a constituted
board.
While calling on the President to
reconstitute the agency’s board
without further delay, Okowa
stated that Niger Delta states
were being taken for a ride with
the running of the Commission
without conforming to the laws
establishing it.
The South South Governors’
chairman said that the continued
agitation from stakeholders for
the reconstitution of the board
was germane because the region
was being short-changed.
I believe that the Governors of the
South-South have spoken and we
are embarrassed that after several
months, the government has been
unable to reconstitute the board
of the NDDC. “We believe that
what is going on at the moment is
not the best for our region and it’s
not the best for the oil-producing
states.
“In the first instance, the sole
administrator ship is not known
to law and the board has the full
representation of the people and
they are able to speak for their
people to ensure that there is
fairness, justice and equity in
terms of amenities and facilities.
“I believe also that the earlier the
board is inaugurated, the better
for us because we cannot
continue to hide under the fact
that we are doing a forensic audit
without inaugurating the board
because the board is supposed to
be forward-looking and not about
the past.
“So, allow the new board to come
in and when the result of the
forensic audit comes, the board
will still look at it and know
where actions are supposed to be
taken.
“We are currently being fooled and
we are not happy about it; so, if
people agitate, I believe they are
doing so in the right direction. “So,
we call on the Presidency to listen
to the call of the South-South
Governors and other stakeholders
from the oil-producing states and
quickly inaugurate the board
because we are suffering for it.
“I believe that as at today, the funds
of the NDDC are not being well
managed and I want to believe that
they are also not accountable in the
way and manner they are running
the place,” he said.
He added, “I call on Mr. President
to quickly look into the inadequacy
and ensure that the board of the
NDDC is inaugurated as soon as
possible.
“We have been expecting the
results of the forensic audit and the
EFCC can take over and prosecute
the fraud-related cases because
those ones are not for the board to
handle.
“So we cry to Mr. President today
to quickly inaugurate the board
because it’s in the best interest of
the nation and in the best interest of
the oil-producing states.”
The Governor who had earlier
inaugurated the Agbarho
Orherhe Road and Bridge in
U g h e l l i N o r t h L o c a l
Government Area approved the
establishment of a secondary
school in Orherhe, saying “We
mus t cont inue to br ing
education closer to our people”.
On the Oleh and Ozoro
communal crisis, Okowa
assured that his administration
would do justice to the report
and recommended of the
Judicial Panel of Enquiry into
the clashes.
On his part, Governor Udom,
commended Okowa for his
outstanding accomplishments in
road, education and human
capital development, remarking
that only governors of Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP)-
controlled states were executing
projects across the country.
“If you check Nigeria today, the
only people inaugurating
projects are PDPstates. Let each
state bring out what they have
done and you will be proud of
what PDP governors have done
in their respective states.
“I know people will say we
receive so much because we are
oil-producing states, but have
you asked how much money we
spend on constructing roads in
the South-South?
“This is the real dividend of
democracy because what you put
on ground for the common man
and everybody to enjoy is the real
dividend of democracy.
“If people will have time to come
and document all we have done in
the region they will be amazed
with what we have done even
with the inflation and foreign
exchange challenges.
“And, I believe that the entire
community and the Isoko nation
will support PDP because we
s t a n d f o r t h e e c o n omi c
development of the nation,” he
said.
“Governance is all about
continuity and I must commend
you because your predecessor
conceived this project and you
came and brought it to fruition
“When you give the people
education you have exposed
them
to the entire world and I must
commend Governor Okowa for his
vision in completing this project.
“All we have inaugurated today
and many more that are yet to be
inaugurated is a pointer to the fact
that only PDP governors are
working and am proud to say that
when others will say there is a
casting down, we will say there is a
lifting up.
“What I am seeing here today at the
Emore Grammar School Oleh, is
something worth emulation, good
space management, easy to
manage, excellent facilities with
good rendition and I hope that the
teachers will bring out the best out
of the students so that they can
compete anywhere they find
themselves,” Udom stressed.
The projects inaugurated were
Agbarho-Orherhe road, with a
bridge in Ughelli North Local
Government Area and dualised
Emore Road and Emore Grammar
School, both in Oleh, Isoko South
Local Government Area.