• Thursday, March 28, 2024
businessday logo

BusinessDay

NDDC gets new interim Management Committee

NDDC

In line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio has inaugurated the enlarged Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) from three to five.

Buhari had on Wednesday sacked the Commission’s Acting Managing Director, Joi Nunieh and replaced her with Kemebradikumo Daniel Pondei, a professor.

The Interim Management Committee which was approved by the President consists of  Kemebradikumo Daniel Pondei, Acting Managing Director replacing Joi Nunieh; Ibanga Bassey Etang, Acting Executive Director (Finance and Administration); Cairo Ojougboh, Acting Executive Director (Projects);  Caroline Nagbo (member) and Cecilia Bukola Akintomide (member.)

Akpabio  charged the committee to cooperate with forensic auditors to audit the operations of the Commission as directed by the President, adding that change was inevitable in a Commission like the NDDC as it is passing through a phase that would soon be over.

Inaugurating the new Acting Managing Director and Members, Akpabio said President Buhari enlarged the Interim Management Committee to inject new blood into the Commission for better service delivery.

According to Akpabio, the enlargement of the committee was aimed at ensuring better service delivery by the commission.

“The story of NDDC in the last 19 years has not been so rosy. The NDDC, we believe could have achieved more. You have a stunted child who could have been a six-footer. We need to find out the reason why the child could not grow. Is it that the child was not given enough nourishment”?

“And then the country is looking at the fact that a lot of money has gone into the NDDC but we could not see commensurate results. I am not saying this to deride any particular person. I am not saying this to bring down anybody. I am not saying this to make a political point. I say this from the point of truism,” he said.

“I am a Niger Deltan and I believe in the Niger Delta. God has put us in the Niger Delta to make a difference. I had the opportunity of being a Governor in the Niger Delta and I left my mark behind. Nobody can deny that there was uncommon transformation of Akwa Ibom State”.

“I will like to see the NDDC build specialist hospitals. I will like to see the NDDC provide light to communities in darkness. I will like to see the NDDC support industrialization and food sufficiency in the Niger Delta. These things are possible, it is a question of commitment”.

Akpabio thanked President Buhari for the interest he has shown in the Niger Delta region, explaining that was why he ordered the forensic audit of the Commission. He added that as soon as the forensic auditor was appointed, there was need to inject new blood into the Interim Management Committee, and pledged that NDDC would change .

Omotayo Alasoadura, Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, emphasized on the need for a synergy between the Ministry and the Commission adding that President Buhari had asked the Ministry to supervise the Commission.

He said NDDC had no option than to work and deliver on its mandate with absolute cooperation between the Ministry  and the commission.

In his response, the new Acting Managing Director, Pondei thanked President Buhari for the confidence reposed in them to manage the affairs of the NDDC and see through the forensic auditing of the Commission adding that a huge task had been bestowed on him to make a difference in the region.

He solicited the cooperation of the Ministry and stakeholders in the Niger Delta to enable him and his team achieve President Buhari’s vision for the Niger Delta.