In unison, two former chairmen of the Niger Delta Improvement Fee (NDDC), Chief Onyema Ugochukwu and Senator Victor Ndoma Egba, SAN, have recognized the necessity for a brand new grasp plan and assured tenure for each the administration and board of the Fee because the surest strategy to realise its set mandate.
They stated it will enable for focus and consistency in venture and coverage execution by the NDDC.
The ex-board chairs additionally lauded the Chiedu Ebie-led board and the administration below the management of Engr. Samuel Ogbuku, for steadily progressing the trigger and mandate of the Fee, and urged them to give you a brand new grasp plan for additional progress.
The duo spoke to some journalists in Abuja on the weekend whereas appraising the Fee’s actions since its creation some 25 years in the past.
In line with them, tenure interruption of the board and administration of the Fee by the federal authorities didn’t enable the NDDC to realize optimally,
In his submission, Ugochukwu, who was the pioneer board chairman, famous with dismay that governors within the Niger Delta space, had the tendency to at all times nominate untested people to serve on the board, leading to little or low productiveness.
He urged the governors to see themselves as companions in progress and never NDDC rivals, at the same time as he suggested the NDDC to get the governors’ by in.
He stated: “The present Board and Administration ought to attempt to get the state governors on board. We didn’t, perhaps we had been too conceited in our time. They need to do no matter they’ll to get the governors to purchase into their plans and even this new concept of grasp plan, the federal authorities itself can buy into it.
“The grasp plan is one thing not one of the different new regional commissions have, allow them to to start with purchase into this NDDC grasp plan first as a result of the federal authorities has rather a lot to do within the implementation. I’m glad to listen to that they’ve been proactive on this regard and I believe it will be important that they do this.”
Talking additional, Ugochukwu stated: “One thing else I believe they need to change is for the regulation to place NNDC below the Presidency; it shouldn’t be below a Minister and I don’t assume they’ve modified that regulation. So, I believe it’s irregular to place NDDC below a Ministry. The President can ask a Minister to do that or that and he gained’t do it.”
On the regional improvement commissions created by the federal authorities, the elder statesman faulted the creation, describing it as unhelpful.
“I believe organising Regional Improvement Commissions are very unhelpful and detract from the significance of the work NDDC is doing or is meant to do within the Niger Delta.
“The politicians jumped into it, parochialism entered into it, and I imagine it was our immediate-past President who began it with the North-East, the precise purpose I may see he did that was as a result of you recognize ‘let me do it for my individuals’ after which everyone jumps into it,” Ugochukwu acknowledged.
Talking alongside the identical line on NDDC actions, Senator Ndoma-Egba stated the mandate of the Fee is just not what a single stakeholder can obtain.
The previous lawmaker additionally faulted the NNDDC’s low funds which makes it not possible for its set mandate to be absolutely realised.
Whereas additionally making a case for continuity on the board and administration ranges, the silk stated: “Every time boards are dissolved, the brand new set spends time to synergise and earlier than you recognize it, they’re flushed out, which has stalled the flexibility of NNDC to make significant affect.
On the challenges within the Niger Delta, he stated: “The issues within the Niger Delta shouldn’t be left to the federal government to not speak of the Federal authorities alone, however all the opposite stakeholders. it shouldn’t be left to the NDDC alone.
“Nevertheless, NDDC ought to do a brand new Grasp Plan to be in sync with realities.”