On Tuesday, December 20, the Nigerian Senate confirmed Lauretta Onochie as the new Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) chairman.
This is according to the official Twitter account of the Nigerian Senate.
The new chairman, Lauretta Onochie seems to have her work cut out for her as the NDDC has been tagged ineffective by critics, highlighting the fact that Niger Deltans still struggle with welfare and development after the commission was first set up during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration in 2000.
In an interview via the Morning Show on Arise TV, Tuesday, December 20, a legal practitioner and the former president of the Movement for the survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), Ledum Mitee spoke about the ineffectiveness of the NDDC.
According to him, the NDDC cannot be said to have achieved any purpose after it was set up to improve the lives of people in the region. He went further to state that the people of the Niger Delta cannot point to one thing the NDDC has done for their benefit.
Challenges NDDC must tackle
During the interview, Mitee said he would not advocate for the NDDC to be scrapped, but rather, it should be made to tackle the following challenges:
Stop the NDDC from being an instrument of politics: Mitee said the NDDC has become a tool of financial misappropriation for politicians, especially during the election period. According to him, the NDDC has done a good job of not being an interventionist agency for the people of the Niger Delta and that has to stop.
True adherence to the NDDC Act: Mitee highlighted the fact that the NDDC Act must be a guide to decisions made by all stakeholders. He gave an example of the kind of people the Act recommends to constitute the Board of the NDDC. According to Mitee, the Board should constitute professionals who understand the industry and not politicians or politically exposed persons.
Assign contracts that are fully executed: He asked that the NDDC needs to stop assigning contracts that are never executed. According to Mitee, there have been several cases of money expended on contracts that did not exist. He said:
- “There was a House hearing on NDDC that was a national disgrace, nobody has been punished as a result of that. So, for me, all that is happening is also to show disdain for due process and also the fact that there is no interest for the development of the Niger Delta.”
Establish projects that truly benefit the people: Mitee asked that the NDDC should stop the commissioning of projects that are not sustainable. Mitee said the people of the Niger Delta have witnessed the commissioning of water projects that only work for the duration of the commissioning ceremony.
- He highlighted the fact that NDDC projects are not sustainable for the people. He gave an example of the commissioning of a water project in a rural community where the borehole is powered by a diesel generator.
- Meanwhile, the poor people in the community cannot afford to buy diesel to power the generator. He also said the generator used in the commissioning may have been borrowed.
- He went further to state that when the people are true beneficiaries of NDDC projects, they will embrace the NDDC and become the mouthpiece of the NDDC
For the record: Other people confirmed alongside Lauretta Onochie include; Dimgba Erugba from Abia State representing South-East as a member.
- Dr. Emem Wilcos Wills from Akwa-Ibom State representing South-South as a member.
- Elder Sen. Dimaro Denyanbofa from Bayelsa State representing South-South as a member.
- Hon. Orok Duke from Cross River State representing South-South as a member.
- Hon. Gbenga Edema from Ondo State representing the South-West as a member.
- Elekwachi Dinkpa from Rivers State representing South-South as a member.
- Alh. Mohammed Kabir Abubakar from Nasarawa State representing North Central as a member.
- Alh. Sule-Iko Sadeeq Sani Sami from Kebbi State representing North-West as a member.
- Prof. Tahir Mamman, SAN, OON, from Adamawa State representing North-East as a member.
- Chief Dr. Samuel Ogbuku from Bayelsa State representing South-South as a Managing Director for two years to complete the unexpired term of his predecessor in office.
- Major General Charles Airhiavbere from Edo State representing South-South as Executive Director (Finance).
- Charles B. Ogunmola from Ondo State representing South West as Executive Director (Projects).
