Activists under the auspices of 21st Century Youths of Niger-Delta and Agitators for Conscience, (21st CYNDAC), yesterday, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), is messier today than it was two years ago when President Muhammadu Buhari ordered a forensic audit of the interventionist agency.
The group, in a statement, by its spokesperson, Izon Ebi, said: “What is happening in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) presently is worse than what gave birth to Mr. President’s calling for a forensic audit of the NDDC.”
He said it is the reason his group is calling on the leadership of the National Assembly, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to do the needful by advising Mr. President to immediately inaugurate the substantive board of NDDC, so as not to be seen as the persons conspiring with the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to plunge Niger Delta region into fresh crisis capable of eroding the gains of the present peace being enjoyed by Niger-Deltans and oil multinationals.
“We also call on Mr. President to immediately inaugurate the substantive board of the NDDC to avoid Niger Delta youths going into artisanal refining that has been the order of the day in the region, because of the failure to inaugurate the substantive board of the NDDC.
“The 21st CYNDAC is sounding it very loud in order not to ground the economy of the nation. As it stands, Niger Deltans have lost confidence in the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and the outcome of the forensic audit.
“We condemn in strong terms the antics of the minister. Akpabio is running the NDDC as a privately owned company. Niger Deltans are awakened with bogus allegations of bribery and payments for frivolous jobs
“We are back to the status quo because some top officials too are collecting kickback of 10 per cent of every payment made to contractors. It is glaringly clear that somebody has succeeded in arm-twisting Mr. President to concede the supervision of the NDDC to himself, which is now administered as a private owned company.
“Nigerians and Niger Deltans know the truth and cannot be hoodwinked by the bogus, frivolous and politically motivated forensic audit that was done to muzzle Niger -Deltans under Akpabio’s political dominance.”
The group noted that the North East Development Commission is making progress without any contribution to the nation’s GDP, but the Niger Delta region that pays the supreme sacrifice of contributing 80 per cent to the nation’s GDP is being used by its leaders and politicians for political brinkmanship and showmanship to the detriment of the pathetic plight of the Niger Delta region and its people.
