Onochie promises to turn NDDC around as Niger Delta minister inaugurates Board

Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Umana Okon Umana, has urged newly inaugurated Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to shun impulsive award of new contracts.

This is as the new Chairman of the Commission, Lauretta Onochie, promised that the new board will turn things around by reviewing existing policies and guidelines to enable it have a clear sight and hit the ground running.

The minister advised members of the board to focus on completing ongoing projects towards serving the people of the region and delivering the mandate of the Commission, adding that the process will help to repair the negative public perception of the Commission.

Umana made this observation, yesterday, in Abuja while inaugurating members of the board. He said any breach of the provisions of the Procurement Act by the NDDC would be sanctioned.

He also urged the board to look into allegations of irregular employment from 2019 and follow up on the ongoing personnel audit in the Commission.

He said: “The tasks before the New Board shall include a faithful implementation of the recommendations of the report of the Forensic Audit.

“Besides the findings of the Forensic Audit, government has received numerous petitions alleging irregularities in employment in the Commission.
“The new Board will have to look into these allegations of irregular employment from 2019 and follow up on the ongoing personnel audit in the Commission to make sure all cases of employment during the period under review were in accordance with extant rules and regulations of the Service.

Members of the board include: Buhari’s Special Assistant on New Media, Lauretta Onochie, as the substantive chairman, from Delta State, representing South-South geopolitical zone on the board; Major-General Charles Airhiavbere (rtd) from Edo State (Executive Director, Finance); and Charles Ogunmola from Ondo State, as Executive Director, Projects.

Others are Dimgba Erugba, representing Abia State; Dr. Emem Willcox Wills (Akwa Ibom State), Elder Denyanbofa Dimaro (Bayelsa State), Orok Duke (Cross River State) and Dr. Pius Odudu (Edo State).

Also on the Board are Anthony Ekenne (Imo State), Gbenga Edema (Ondo State), Elekwachi Dimkpa (Rivers State), Alhaji Mohammed Kabir Abubakar (Nasarawa State) representing North-Cenral zone), Alhaji Sadiq Sami Sule-Ikoh (Kebbi State, North-West) and Prof. Tahir Mamman, SAN, (Adamawa State, North-East).

Chief Samuel Ogbokwu from Bayelsa State will serve as the Managing Director.

Speaking after, the inauguration, Onochie said: “There is no doubt we have a huge task ahead of us and we will ask for the support of Nigerians in general and the Niger Delta in particular; we ask that you give us a breathing space to generate great ideas that will bring about the desired change in the region.

“We are determined to do a great job. We are committed to the improvement of the economic and ecological wellbeing of our region. We are devoted to the prosperous future of the region. We will not fail. It’s a promise, but we ask that you give us breathing space to do our job.”