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Protesters storm NDDC over alleged ministerial interference

By Inemesit Akpan-Nsoh (Uyo) and Ann Godwin (Port Harcourt)
16 August 2022   |   4:00 am
Protesters, yesterday, besieged premises of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), fuming over what they described as “deep involvement by the newly appointed Minister Niger Delta Affairs, Umana Okon Umana, in the administration the commission.”

•Group opposes, says Umana only implementing Presidency’s directive
Protesters, yesterday, besieged premises of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), fuming over what they described as “deep involvement by the newly appointed Minister Niger Delta Affairs, Umana Okon Umana, in the administration the commission.”

With placards displaying messages like “NDDC not a ground to settle political cronies”, “Mr. President return NDDC to office of the SGF”, “Umana/perm sec leave NDDC staff alone and “President Buhari sack Umana now” among others, the Irate Nigerians condemned the “unwarranted audit” of staff of the interventionist agency, claiming that the minister’s brief as a supervisory head does not entail that.

They alleged that Umana’s activities were already affecting the commission and might lead to crisis if left unchecked.

Calling for President Muhammadu Buhari’s swift intervention, the demonstrators cautioned politicians against interfering in the running of NDDC.

Spokesperson for the group, Victor Idaye Briggs, insisted that it was wrong for the minister to allegedly order the staff examination, an exercise, he claimed, was carried out years ago before commencement of the forensic audit of the commission.

“We have discovered that his actual intention is to recruit those he will use for 2023 politics, and we will never allow that to happen,” he alleged.

Briggs went on: “We are calling on President Buhari to as, a matter of urgency, stop the minister from destroying the commission with the ulterior motive of sacking genuine staff of the commission and replacing them with political cronies. They are our breadwinners. They pay our school fees. If they are sacked now, where do we go?

“We will be here as long as possible until Mr. President responds to our request. This is very unfair and we don’t want a situation where the region is plunged into an avoidable crisis. You can see that we are all young people, who are dependent on their parents or relations in this commission.”

The corporate affairs department of NDDC was yet to react to the development at the time of going to press.

HOWEVER, the Niger Delta Network has flayed those opposing the ministerial directive for a personnel audit of the agency, stating that the annexation and review were initiated by the Presidency.

In a statement issued by Director of Public Communication, Dr. John Douglas, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, the group said the opposition was unnecessary, maintaining that the accusation of annexation of NDDC by Umana was baseless.

The statement reads: “It can no longer be business as usual for unscrupulous persons, who used NDDC funds to finance personal or sectional interests, as the time to do things differently starts now.

“No one, whose recruitment is legal, lawful and legitimate, will oppose or fret over a ministerial directive for a personnel audit of the NDDC.

“We have read with amusement, the above sponsored press statement against the minister, alleging an attempt to annex the NDDC to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA). It is on record that the annexation of the commission was initiated by the Presidency. The transfer of the supervisory role of the NDDC from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to MNDA did not start under Umana.

“One thing is certain though – there is a new dawn in both the NDDC and MNDA.”

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