The Chairman of the strategic communications committee on the Presidential Amnesty Program (PAP), Comrade Nature Dumale has commended the quick intervention of the Niger Delta Affairs Ministry and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) on the deplorable part of the East/West road damaged by the last flood.
Dumale commended the efforts of the Minister, Obong Umanah Okon Umanah and Engr. Emmanuel Audu of the NDDC calling on critical stakeholders in the Niger Delta region to give the duo all the support they deserve to move the region forward within the short time they have left.
The National Secretary of the First phase of ex-agitators of the Niger Delta region commended the acting MD of the NDDC, Engr Audu for his proactive measures in working in synergy with the minister of the Niger Delta Affairs Ministry, Umanah who has come to match words with action.
“On his (Umanah) first official visit to the NDDC where he had an interface with a staff of the Commission, the minister made certain promises which everybody was eagerly waiting for. Over the years we have seen ministers make promises and at the end of the day, those promises were never implemented.
Umanah promised that due process must be followed in NDDC, and he promised that procurement and audit must play their vital roles in contract award and implementation. In view of that action, over 1000 contracts have been cancelled. This is the right step in the right direction. This action will not be very comfortable for those that are involved but I see it as a way of protecting the Niger Delta region and the NDDC.
“Over the years, billions have been voted into the Niger Delta region and nothing or very little is seen. This action will help the region to achieve the aim for which NDDC was established in the first place as an intervention Agency, Last time I checked, multinational oil companies declared how much they give to NDDC as their support to the development of the region where they operate and I was frozen in fear.
“I wondered if that amount of money entered NDDC, why was the region not transformed? Another challenge is that contracts were awarded without funds to implement them. Procurement should be properly checked. Some of those cancelled contracts were those that money was released to contractors and they did not go to the site.
“I appreciate the minister of Niger Delta Affairs and the acting MD of NDDC for the steps they have taken to repair some parts of the Mbiama section of the East/West road destroyed by the flood in recent times, this is the only way our poor parents, brothers and sisters who are not contractors in NDDC will benefit from the invention mandate given to NDDC for the Niger Delta region.
Dumale noted that Umanah has the interest of the region at heart. He did not play politics with the Promise he made to the staff of NDDC and the Region, I, therefore, call on all Niger Delta stakeholders to support the minister.
“As corruption has a way of fighting back those who want the right things to be done, “We need to give them the necessary support that will motivate them to perform for the peace and development of the Niger Delta region.
“I use this Press briefing to call on the youths, CSOs, and other critical stakeholders in the region to give the Hon. minister of Niger Delta Affairs and Acting MD of NDDC the support they desire while thanking Mr President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing Umanah at this critical moment of our history as the Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs”.
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