… appeals to communities for calm
More communities may smile soon as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is about to release list of more projects in more states. The Commission said in Port Harcourt that the 375 projects so far released was not the end.
In a statement in Port Harcourt by the NDDC signed by the head, corporate affairs department, Chijioke Amu-Nnadi, on behalf of the MD/CEO, Nsima Ekere, said since the Commission published a list of 375 infrastructural projects in some national newspapers and 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, there has been an avalanche of reactions by communities who felt left out.
The statement said, “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 said it was in the process of advertising additional projects, which it said 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”.
The Commission called 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. Indeed, we are building a robust and engaging partnership with all stakeholder groups and we wish to encourage more dialogue as we work together to facilitate sustainable regional development.”
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