NIGER DELTA: Akpabio reveals why NDDC has not been effective

Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, has revealed that the developmental agenda of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) had been hampered by a whopping N2 trillion debt, personal interest and undue interference.

Harping on the need to redirect the affairs of the commission, the minister said the NDDC had not performed well in its main responsibility, which was the development of the Niger Delta region.

Akpabio stated this at a meeting with the management of NDDC on Wednesday in Abuja, adding that the impact of the commission on the entire region would have been more, but for some factors such as personal interest and undue interference, among others.

He also called for collaboration between the ministry and the commission to move the region to a higher level.

“We will look into the budgetary allocation and see how it can be improved upon, because the success of any organisation starts from budgeting.

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“We want to redirect the budgeting procedure of the commission so that we can aim at the ongoing projects, that is, those that are nearing completion but which have not been completed due to lack of human will,” he said.

The minister also vowed that the ministry would no longer allow uncompleted projects in the region, adding that there were too many of them.

“We are going to focus on the key ones that are on ground for us to complete between now and next year and also start some things that can create employment opportunities,” he added.

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