Abia State government has advised the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to evenly distribute projects among member states as well as determine its socio-economic impact.
The state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, made this call last week at the Government House, Umuahia, while receiving in audience Gbene Joi Nuneih, acting managing director/CEO, NDDC and her team.
The NNDC team was in Abia to officially handover the list of projects in the state to the governor to avoid duplication.
The governor in a press statement signed by Onyebuchi Ememanka, his chief press secretary, pledged to collaborate with the NDDC in its renewed effort to address issues confronting the people.
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He observed that the NDDC was responding to the issues that confront the people and commended the inclusion approach introduced by the acting managing director.
He called for support to the new NDDC boss in her bid to remodel the NDDC to cater for the needs of oil-bearing communities.
Ikpeazu also lauded the member representing Bende Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Ben Kalu, for his quality representation.
Gbene Nuneih, acting managing director, NDDC, disclosed that there was a total of 633 NDDC projects at various stages in the state, saying that their visit to Abia was to see things for themselves as well as to officially handover the list of projects to the governor.
According to Nuneih, the essence was to avoid duplication of projects and to do away with agents. She regretted the disappointing state of the oil communities, stating the commission’s commitment to have credibility as well as to collaborate with states with a view to working directly with the rural communities.
Benjamin Kalu, member representing Bende Federal Constituency and Chairman House Committee on Media and Publicity, expressed the need to clean up the NDDC and also get things right.
He noted that with the presentation of the list of projects in the state, duplication of projects would be circumvented considering the paucity of funds in the state.
He also stated that the tour would bring about a proper needs assessment analysis of the people while assuring the governor that the commission would live up to expectations.
