A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Garus Gololo, has backed President Muhammadu Buhari’s bid to probe the activities of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). He alleges that past leaders of the commission had looted the funds meant for the development of the region. In this interview with INNOCENT ODOH, Gololo says the probe will open up the corruption in the commission even as he suggests that President Buhari has good intentions for the Niger Delta region by appointing Godswill Akpabio as the Niger Delta Minister. Excerpts:
What is your reaction to the proposed probe of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)?
I am very happy that the President has ordered the investigation of NDDC because in the first place from 2010 till date you cannot see anything on ground despite all the money invested in the Niger Delta. So, I want the President to make those in positions to properly account for the money. There are serious infrastructure problems in the area and even the Amnesty funds are being diverted into private pockets because the hapless citizens of the region are still crying that they are not being given the money. I wrote a book for the ‘Next level’ agenda as a member of the APC. I stayed for two months in the Niger Delta and researched the issues in the region. But I am afraid there are places you go to in Niger Delta, even motorcycle cannot go there because of bad roads but the government has been releasing money for projects for those people. So where is the money? We don’t have roads in the north where even bike cannot ply. Look at the former governor of Borno State, Shettima, upon the Boko Haram insurgency; look at the estate he has built that is a credit to him. We understand that there are people using their position and influence to share the money for themselves and family while the masses living there have no infrastructure, have no houses, no good road. So, the government should properly investigate those people. The other issue is the past Ministers of Niger Delta; from that region from that time till date also they should be properly investigated. The President should also probe the Amnesty Programme because when I was doing my research, I met some of the boys, the ex-militants who claimed that they have not been paid. Their leaders who are collecting the money from the Federal Government are not doing anything for their people but they advertise fictitious performance and projects on TV. Another issue I want to emphasise is why must the director of finance of NDDC and director of projects come from Rivers State from 2015 till date? It was supposed to rotate and they should form a proper committee made up of people who are neutral to give a concrete report because if we don’t get a proper report I will publish everything because I have already gotten a clue from that area. I met with Tom Polo one-on-one and he is one of the persons that can tell the truth about everything happening in that area because he is very good and has worked for this government but people threatened him and he went into hiding. The other one is Asari Dokubo, they will tell the President about what is happening in the Niger Delta and about the ex-militants and developments there. There is no way money should be sent to develop the people and the money does not get them, it does not make sense at all.
Do you think that the culture of setting up committees will solve this problem judging by past failures?
This is not politics. I am APC, but the point is if they give you money to do the job for the people do the job for them. It is very painful when you go to some villages, they don’t have drinking water in that area, and the places have been polluted and that is why they are not happy; that is why they are lamenting, because there are no roads. In some places I had to take canoe because there are no roads. There is a bridge they said they have commissioned but they have not built it in Delta State. The same thing happened in Bayelsa, in Rivers State even when a lot of money had been pumped into the projects. So, why are the people not benefitting from that money? I am sure this committee will come out a positive result.
Don’t you think there should be another kind of intervention on this issue other than probe? Do you think that the current structure of NDDC should be reviewed and perhaps a new one put in place?
Yes, I will advise that they should demolish it and form another one because this one does not help. So, a new one should be put in place. Let the President get the person with proper record and the National Assembly should intervene. I am impressed that the National Assembly has said they will probe all abandoned NDDC projects from 2010 till date and we support that. When they want to appoint anybody to head the NDDC, there should be transparency in selecting the person to head the NDDC, so that they select a more qualified person to address the crisis there.
Sometimes, it is believed that the budgetary provision for the commission is not enough. What is your reaction to this?
The earlier budgets are a lot of money but just like the President said, most of the money fell into the lagoon. There is enough money; people are just collecting money without doing the contract. We have so much proof. I stayed for almost two months and I touched almost the whole place even though I am from the north. The headquarters of the NDDC is in Port Harcourt, I have seen many companies that collected contracts and have nothing to show for it. Could you imagine that a former Acting MD, his son is a Personal Assistant? So, anybody he wants is the person he will give the contract. Where do you see that type of thing? It is very wrong. He is not the only person in the Niger Delta.
Right now the President has appointed the best minister of Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio and I believe he will work just like he did in Akwa Ibom State, judging by his performance as state governor. Look at the stadium he built is like Liverpool or Chelsea Stadium.
