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NDDC has completed 73 abandoned roads in N’Delta since 2003, says Akpabio

By Matthew Ogune (Abuja) and Inemesit Akpan-Nso (Uyo)
06 May 2021   |   4:04 am
Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, yesterday, disclosed that no fewer than 73 roads that were abandoned in Niger Delta have been successfully completed.

Godswill Akpabio

• Edo gov seeks agency’s restructuring to engender S’South development
• Groups asks those opposed to forensic audit to desist

Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, yesterday, disclosed that no fewer than 73 roads that were abandoned in Niger Delta have been successfully completed.

He stated this when National Secretary of the Interim Caretaker Committee of All Progressives Congress (APC), Akpan James Akpanudoedehe visited him in Abuja.

Akpabio said the forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) directed by President Muhammadu Buhari informed the completion of the road projects, maintaining that some contractors, who refused to go back to site, would eventually be compelled to do so.

“The contactors went back to site, because President Buhari instituted the forensic audit of the NDDC to reinforce accountability in governance. As at today, the ministry has submitted the second interim report of the forensic audit to the presidency in this regard.

“Permanent Secretary of the Ministry has also submitted the report of 39 projects that are ready for commissioning, some of them with skills acquisition centres in Akwa-Ibom, Imo and Ondo states,” he stated.

Speaking, Minister of State, Omotayo Alasoadura, commended the APC National Secretary for the good job the committee has been doing saying the party leadership should continue to promote peace to enable it to move forward.

On his part, Akpanudoedehe, who explained he visited the ministry to appreciate and reciprocate Akpabio’s earlier visit to the party secretariat, commended the Interim National Chairman, Mai Mala Buni, whose disposition, he said, had improved the party.

BESIDES, Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has restated the call for restructuring of the NDDC for greater development of the South-South region.

The governor made the call during a meeting with the South-South Zone Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at Government House, Benin City.

Obaseki said, “In the South-South, we must stand up to defend ourselves economically, politically and security-wise. We have pretenders in the region, who try to exploit the region and we must stop them.”
MEANWHILE, the Niger Delta Conscience Coalition (NDCC) has called on those criticising the July 2021 timeline for the forensic audit of the NDDC to desist.

In a statement issued by its President, Aniefiok Obot and Secretary, John Jumbo in Uyo yesterday, it alleged that some interests and political jobbers from within and outside the Niger Delta region were planning to use the exercise for continued witch-hunting of the current management of the commission.

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