Why NDDC is being manipulated, by Wike

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has lamented that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is being manipulated to deny the region key projects it deserves.

He also decried the way and manner in which management of the Presidential Amnesty Programme for ex-Niger Delta militants was being handled. Wike, who is a member of the NDDC Advisory Committee, stated when some Niger Delta leaders visited at Government House, Port Harcourt yesterday.

He said, “It is unfortunate that the NDDC cannot deliver on regional projects. There are no interstate roads and NDDC has not done any major project. Instead, the NDDC is engaged in micro projects to promote political interests.”

Decrying a situation where a former Special Adviser on Amnesty Programme was detailed to remove him from office as Governor of Rivers State, he explained that after the Special Adviser was removed, he could not ask for his reappointment because he used his position to kill Rivers people during the elections.

Wike canvassed the unity of all Niger Delta ethnic nationalities to promote the development of the region, saying, “We must speak with one voice irrespective of the political party we belong. The time has come for us to work together. If we don’t work together, we will continue to lose out.”

He noted that the problem of the Niger Delta had persisted because the people have not been united and charged all ethnic nationalities to begin to sing a new song to promote the development of the region.

“The song we should sing is the Niger Delta, not any specific ethnic group and when we sing any specific ethnic group, it will be difficult to unite. Let us not restrict our struggles to any particular ethnic nationality,” he stated.

Wike expressed his readiness to host the conference of ethnic nationalities in Port Harcourt, but only after due consultation with other South-South governors. He commended the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa for providing the right leadership in the South-South to enhance development of the region.

On his part, a Rivers State lawmaker, Smart Adoki, said the Niger Delta leaders were at the Government House to thank Governor Wike for providing leadership in the region.

He urged Wike to work for the restoration of the Presidential Amnesty Programme to serve the region faithfully. Leader of the delegation, Elder T. K. Ogorimagba, urged the Rivers State Governor to serve as the number one advocate for the development of the South-South zone.

He said that the Amnesty Programme was a security programme, which should be limited to South-South, urging Wike to host the Conference of Ethnic Nationalities of the South-South to promote further development of the region.