OSIGBEME MUSA
For 25 years, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC) struggled in vain to get a permanent site for its headquarters. Even with several billions of naira voted for the project, successive administrations at the commission and successive Supervising Ministers were unable to actualise the headquarters complex for the commission. But this has now been made possible by the present Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio and the Sole Administrator of the Commission, Effiong Akwa. Today, the dream of the commission having a befitting edifice as headquarters has finally been realised.
Interestingly, not many people would want to give credit for the completion of the edifice to the man known for his uncommon transformation agenda, which saw him transforming Akwa Ibom State as governor. The land was acquired by the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC) in 1996, and was abandoned for several years. Even though the agency has had about17 Chief Executive officers from Prof Eric Opia to Bassey Akwa, since its inception as OMPADEC, none of the leadership has been able to complete the project, while it wasted several billions of naira on rent and other utilities annually. Some believe that the fact that for a long period of time it was under the supervision of the Presidency, was partly responsible for the delay in the completion of the project.
However, in his own wisdom, President Muhammadu Buhari decided to return the Commission under the supervision of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs under the Supervision of Senator Godswill Akpabio. Even though not many fancied the decision, the President must have considered Akpabio’s achievements as governor of Akwa Ibom State that earned him the nickname of uncommon transformer. While commissioning the project, President Buhari said, “In 2015, as part of our administration’s cardinal objectives to kill corruption, some critical reforms were embarked upon, part of which was a holistic reform of the NDDC for greater service delivery for the people of the region. To achieve this, I reassigned the supervision of the NDDC to the Hon. Minister of Niger Delta Affairs for administrative efficiency. Second, was the appointment of Forensic Auditors to review the operations of the Commission from inception to 2019 and to ensure that the appropriations made to the NDDC are commensurate with what is on the ground”. While commending Akpabio for delivering the edifice and ending several years of operating from a rented apartment, the President said “I, therefore, use this opportunity to commend the Honourable Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, for providing the required leadership that saw to the completion of this edifice. Today, we are handing over to the people of Niger Delta, a befitting Head Office Complex for present and future use. Consequently, huge yearly rentals would now be saved and deployed to other areas of needs in the region. I commend the management and staff of the NDDC for staying the course and keying into the Reform Agenda of our Administration. I am particularly pleased to note the cordial relationship between the NDDC and the National Assembly and hope that this relationship will be strengthened further for the benefit of the people of the Niger Delta region.”
Sole Adminsitrator of the NDDC, Bassey Akwa, attributed the delay in the completion of the project over the years to what he described as financial frustrations and technical challenges. He believes that the completion of the project was as a result of Buhari’s love for Niger Delta, which made him initiate three major projects that have impacted positively on the speedy completion of the project. He commended the President for “reassignment of supervision of NDDC to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs; appointment of forensic auditors to look into the activities of the commission from inception to 2019. With the forensic audit exercise, it can never be business as usual in the commission and initiating policy direction for the completion of all abandoned projects, which has impacted on the people. Completion of the edifice is a direct consequence of Mr. President’s focused policy direction”.
He also paid glowing tribute to Akpabio for what he described as the uncommon commitment of one who took charge of the Presidential directive and turned it into action. “He has surmounted series of huddles that has undermined the completion of the complex all the years to ensure that we have a secured environment for the development of the Niger Delta”.
Akwa believed that Akpabio is an example of a true leader for the people of the Niger Delta, pointing out that with leaders like the Minister, it was time to change the narratives in the region. As a result of the Minister’s positive actions, the Niger Delta region is witnessing “the triumph of will, of resolve, and of refusal to submit ourselves to failure. We stand as witnesses to what is possible with the Niger Deltans, with what can be accomplished under the right leadership, committed to changing the narrative of the Niger Delta into a region that is socially stable, politically peaceful, economically prosperous and ecologically regenerative; a region which fulfils our longstanding aspiration for a better Niger Delta worthy of the immensity and diversity of its human, material, mineral and socio- cultural riches. We recognise that this complex stands as a monument to what we are as a people: strong, beautiful, grand and accomplished in our outlook, sophistication and dreams. This complex therefore represents the triumph of will, determination, capacity, enterprise and expertise as well as a metaphor of what we can accomplish, as a region and a people, when we put our minds to it, and our best brains forward.”
Akwa, however, said that for development to be possible in the region, there was the need for the governors and the NDDC to work together. He said, “In designing and implementing projects for the Niger Delta Working with our host Governors, we shall ensure that our roads and bridges, our health and educational facilities, our rural electrification, our water supply, our human capacity development, our skills acquisition programmes, as well as those for women and youths, offer to the region and our people the opportunity to be the best at all times.”
The Minister is disappointed at the level of petition writing in the region, which he said is drawing back the hand of the clock for the people of the Niger Delta. He said, “Petition writing is one of the things bringing down this region. It is not outsiders that come to destroy this place. When Akwa Ibom was created from cross Rivers State, they left the infrastructure there and brought petition writers to Akwa Ibom State. As Minister, I have come to see that it pervades the entire Niger Delta”. He believes that while other regions are doing all within their power to develop, the people of the Niger Delta are busy writing frivolous petitions against themselves. But he is determined to change the narrative of development in the region. Akpabio said, “I am the first Minister and first person to visit the project since 1996. I reported back to NASS members that we have a job to do and also reported to the President, who gave a matching order that they must move to this site. For over 15 years, even the office they were using was not connected to the national grid so that they can give out contract for diesel. So, that became another racket of its own. I want to thank the President for the love he has for the Niger Delta people”.
He promised to deliver the East/West road before the end of the Buhari administration, saying, “The East West road which we are committed to completing started in 2006 and we have pledged that by this time next year, you will also Commission sections 1 to 4, which start from Effurun to Prom and the people of the Niger Delta will be grateful to you. When you started the construction of the second Niger Bridge, some people said why are they making noise? They forget that it has always been on the drawing board. But Buhari took it and made it a reality and very soon, we are going to see the bridge come to reality. As we speak, between Ogoni and Akwa Ibom and Calabar, we have used only one bridge for the past 16 years. But April, we are going to commission the second bridge for the benefit of the Niger Delta. We are redesigning Eleme junction and by the time we finished, you will not recognise the Niger Delta. We have just done the ground breaking of the Eleme to Maiduguri rail line. When I came and said we must do this, they doubted me, but with efforts out together, we have delivered this”.
Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on NDDC, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, was also full of praises for the Minister and the Sole Administrator of the NDDC for delivering on the project, describing it as product of commitment. Ojo said even though the story of the NDDC has not been too palatable in view of too many controversies making it difficult to accomplish the purpose for which it was established, the Commission has succeeded in constructing lots of projects, but failed to accommodate itself.
While commending the Minister for rapid and effective completion of the NDDC headquarters, he said the completion was jinx breaking under Buhari and achieved in a record time, saying, “You have shown uncommon courage that you are uncommon changer. Administrator, you are a jinx breaker. Under three months, you have brought changes. Glorious day for the people of the Niger Delta. Use the same zeal to complete east west road.”
The Amayanabo of Twon-Brass and former Military Governor of old Rivers State, Alfred Diete Spiff, praised Akpabio for ensuring that the NDDC stopped living in borrowed quarters by taking the bull by the horn. He pledged the support of the traditional institution in the Niger Delta in ensuring that a lot of things are achieved for our region under your tenure as Minister. Have confidence in your ability to lead us to the next level.
On his part, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, said the efforts of the Minister has saved the Commission from further wastage.
the achievement, he said, “NDDC seizes to waste almost N200 to N300 million on rent and will now be channelled to other projects. Formed cos of agitation from Niger Delta states on the need to tackle the degradation and infrastructural challenges. 9 governors behind FG efforts to reposition NDDC to meet the yearning of the people. NDDC act need tinkering with. More involvement of the people in the activities of the commission.”
Interestingly, with the quality of work on the NDDC headquarters project, it is evident that Senator Akpabio is a man of uncommon transformation and the fact that his achievements as governor were not a mere fluke. The Minister remains the first governor in the entire Niger Delta region to use Julius Berger to construct roads in the South-South. However, there is the need to support the initiatives put in place by the Minister to reform the NDDC and bring it in conformity with the ideals for which it was established. The forensic audit of the commission will no doubt bring to the fore the ills that have eaten deep into the commission and the recommendation is expected to show the way forward for the region. Therefore, Senator Godwill Obot Akpabio, deserves the commendation and support of all true sons and daughters of the Niger Delta.
Deputy National Coordinator of the Niger Delta Support Group for Buhari, Evangelist Caroline Nagbo, applauded the development, describing it as the beginning of better things to come for the Niger Delta people.
She commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his commitment to the development of the Niger Delta and paid special tributes to the Minister of the Niger Delta Affairs for the quality of job done on the NDDC headquarters.