Former President Goodluck Jonathan has urged politicians to stop interfering with the activities of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The elder statesman issued the warning while speaking at a stakeholders’ summit in Port Harcourt, Rivers state capital.
Jonathan said political interference has slowed down the commission’s progress.
He praised the pioneer leadership of NDDC, led by Onyema Ugochukwu and Chief Timi Alaibe, for their visionary leadership and development strides. However, he noted that political interference began to hinder the commission’s progress after their tenure.
He said, “Let me say we the politicians took over the NDDC and their progress was slowed down, their activities were slowed down and people started feeling that the impact of this agency was not well noticed. They have forthright leadership so far in pursuit of their mandate. As an interventionist agency for the oil-producing states, the NDDC holds the mandate of bringing development closer to the people and fostering hope and peace by way of inclusive governance.
“To our people in the region, NDDC came as a child of necessity whose strategic role is to improve the environment and provide infrastructure. Of course, we know before NDDC there are a number of agencies that were set up by the Federal Government when the seat of government was even in Lagos. The one well known was the one percent derivation funds but all these attempts to improve the quality of life and infrastructure of the Niger Delta didn’t see the light of the day because we didn’t see anything.
“Then came OMPADEC let by Chief A.K Horsefall where I worked as an assistant director. When OMPADEC came onboard, there was some vision, there were activities, there was a clear leadership but it didn’t last long and OMPADEC got into a situation where it became comatose for so many years before the birth of the NDDC.
“Of course, I have to thank members of the national assembly, the first set in this dispensation in 1999 that came up with the law establishing the NDDC. Those who knew much about the NDDC know how powerful the national assembly of Nigeria is.
“But with the birth of this current leadership people from the Niger Delta have seen some light. It’s not because they brought me here and I also listened to the beginning of this conversation from Wednesday that it was opened and I have sons and daughters, key stakeholders from the Niger Delta interrogating the issues. I also listened to people like Chief Jasper Jumbo and others and I am impressed that they are taking a different look at the Niger Delta. For them to gather all of us, including people like me who are no longer involved with active politics, to have conversations on the Niger Delta shows clearly that the current leadership intends to move the NDDC to a proper direction and that’s why some of us decided to come and encourage them.
“For the NDDC, we are happy with way you’ve started and I hope you will continue in those strides.
Having given me that opportunity to chair this opening ceremony, let me use this opportunity to mention one or two things that I think you should look at it and I know you are already looking at it, the issue of abandoned projects is one of the greatest problems of the NDDC.
“I’m very happy that before coming here, within this period that I have been invited to be here, I heard the MD who spoke on the abandoned projects and promised the people of the Niger Delta that the issue of abandonment of projects will not be accommodated by this administration. So we have to encourage you to do that.
“Another I believe the NDDC should look at is that projects that especially infrastructure projects that were done by the NDDC sometimes they abandon the projects and instead of those projects being looked at as a worthy contribution of the NDDC to the area, people look at as a curse. For example, road projects that were completed and being used, of course our terrain we all know sometimes these road projects deteriorate to the level that vehicles can longer move. So NDDC must have a way to manage the infrastructure they complete.”
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, a former Niger Delta minister, also spoke at the event, condemning the “pull him down” syndrome that has hindered development in the region. He called for stakeholders to work together for even development in the Niger Delta.
The summit aimed to foster inclusive governance and development in the region.
