Calabar – The Chairman, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba, has restated his board’s determination to guarantee a secured regional economy.
The former Senate Leader gave the assurance in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday by his Media Adviser, Mr Sam Arikpo.
According to him, the image of the commission is regrettably now “not edifying’’ because it is “unfortunately seen as a contract awarding factory or silo, where processes do not matter’’.
The chairman also stated that such perception was not helped by the “inexplicable volume of over 10,000 contracts ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous’’.
Ndoma-Egba assured that his new management team would “take clear, practical and visible steps to change the narrative and the song not just of the Commission but of the Region’’.
“The Commission and its affairs will be rebranded, reformed, refocused as well as transparent and accountable to encourage and widen stakeholder’s engagement.
“Besides, the Commission’s systems and processes will be made more transparent to earn the trust and interest of stakeholders, development partners and private sector.
“Youths of the area will be enabled and empowered to express their creativity and talent,’’ he stressed.
The chairman also disclosed that bogus contracts would be verified, audited and streamlined so that their books could be cleaned up.
He said that the commission’s projects “must be stakeholders owned through a Master Plan to which all must commit and faithfully implemented’’.
Ndoma-Egba also said that the commission would follow strictly the Act establishing it based on the respective member states oil production quota.
He also lauded the recent visit of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to the region, describing it as part of the Federal Government’s peace initiative.
He said that government’s categorical statement on the Maritime University in Gbaramatu was a done deal.
He said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration had shown good faith to the region by increasing the budgets on the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, the NDDC and the Amnesty Programme.
He also said his board was pleased that work on the Lagos-Calabar Rail line by the federal government would soon begin.
