Group writes Buhari, retain Akwa until substantive NDDC board is appointed

…no new Interim Administrator, insist on appointment of substantive board.

A peace advocacy group known as the Movement for Sustainable Development of the Niger Delta (MSDND), has sent a protest letter to President Muhammadu Buhari alleging a plot to sack the interim administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and appoint another to oversee the affairs of the commission.

According to the group, “we have observed that in the Seven (7) years of your administration, a substantive board of the NDDC has never been constituted. Instead of constituting a board, all we have had under your administration is a dramatic monologue of confusion and administration brouhaha. Many Niger Delta stakeholders have written, and others have protested against the continued use of the affairs of the NDDC as a comic relief for an already tense polity. The lack of a substantive NDDC board has robbed the region of over 7 years of substantive representation, economic growth and development”.

According to the group, the plot is totally unacceptable however, the people of the Niger Delta would only compromise if Mr. Effiog Akwa is removed and replaced with the immediate constitution of a substantive board for the commission as demanded by the NDDC act.

The Movement for Sustainable Development of the Niger Delta, MSDND, in their letter to President Muhmmadu Buhari and signed by its National Coordinator, Chief Ayibatekena Olodin alleged that some unscrupulous politicians are again plotting for the sack of the interim administrator, Mr. Effiong Akwa and be replaced with another interim administrator, insisting that it is unacceptable and will be resisted by the people of the region

“The Niger Delta people are firmly against the appointment of a new NDDC Interim Administrator. Mr. President, we urge you to allow Mr. Akwa to remain as Interim Administrator until you appoint a substantive NDDC board in the interest of the Niger Delta people, because any new appointment of a new Interim Administrator will set the region further backwards.

Mr. President, kindly ignore these wicked politicians from the region that are against the immediate re-constitution of a substantive board for the region. They have failed the people in the region and want to plunge the administration of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) against the people of the region given the abysmal rating of the APC ruling party in the region. Therefore continuing on this path and relying on these scrupulous politicians’ advice will only lead to failures in the coming 2023 Presidential election.”

“Instead of acceding to the provocative plan of anti-APC politicians for the sack of Effiong Akwa and replace him with another interim administrator, it is better for Mr. President to salvage the falling rating of his administration and that of his party by appointing a substantive board to complete the announced sanitization of the commission.

We are writing to you, Your Excellency, to appoint a substantive NDDC board and in the meantime, to direct the Interim Administrator Mr. Effiong Akwa to make outstanding payments to the suffering Niger Delta Contractors who have lost so much as many of their businesses and properties were confiscated by banks for failure to repay the loans, they took to fund their NDDC jobs. Many others have died in penury and left their siblings devastated.”

“A check showed that despite refusal of the Federal Government and multinational oil companies to release the trillions of naira owed to the NDDC, the Akwa Effiong management team have fairly managed its limited resources in paying recurrent expenditures and offset some payments for projects owed to past and present contractors of the commission. Unlike in months past, Effiong Akwa has done arguably well by quietly working and improving the lives of the people of the region through empowerment and redeemable payment for jobs done.”

“Mr. President, It is now left for your administration to assist the NDDC by releasing the needed funds to further improve economic and structural activities in the region.”

“On the issue of alleged massive fraud uncovered in your ordered and completed forensic audit, we call on you Mr. President to come clean by making the findings public and allow the people of the region to ‘judge” the political leaders involved in such devastating fraud. Such as the massive fraud alleged against the Former Minister of Transport and Former Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and his wife. On one hand, the completed forensic audit allegedly uncovered that Prof. Nelson Brambayefa management of the NDDC in 2019 awarded the sum of One Billion naira (N1billion) per month contract to companies associated with Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and his wife for soap making in the region.”

“Your Excellency, Our group can authoritatively reveal that Prof. Nelson Brambayefa management of the NDDC in 2019 awarded a total of 37 distilling jobs to companies associated with the families of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and his wife and full payments were made with payment of N900 million per distilling job, totaling over N33billion, while the people in the region live in poverty.

It must be noted, Your Excellency, that Nigerians, particularly the people of the Niger Delta region accepted your administration’s directives on the NDDC because they see you as a man of integrity during your days as the Former Head of State and your laudable war against indiscipline. But we are yet to see such war against fraud and nefarious acts against those indicted by your ordered forensic audit”.

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