Buhari applauded for reforms in NDDC

President Muhammadu Buhari has been applauded for initiating reforms in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr Umana Okon Umana, gave this commendation while declaring open the NDDC-PPP Summit, holding in Lagos.

He spoke on behalf of the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

According to the minister, the president’s directive to reform the NDDC was timely as it has repositioned the Commission to be transparent, accountable and to run on the template of global best practices in public governance.

“We set in motion an era of accountability and transparency by publishing in national newspapers a list of 2,506 completed projects executed by the Commission under the Buhari administration from 2015 to 2022. The feedback to this level of commitment to openness in public governance has been tremendous.”

“Today, we are witnessing an enthusiastic response by stakeholders and development partners to an invitation to dialogue on the development of the Niger Delta because there is trust in public institutions that are run according to law and due process.

“Public-Private Partnership would not be realistic in a government institution that is burdened with trust deficit.

“In keeping with the Action Plan to do things right, government approved for implementation some of the key recommendations of the Forensic Audit into the activities of the NDDC, while the White Paper on the Forensic Audit Report is being awaited.

“As recommended in the Report, contracts for 4000 projects were cancelled for non-performance and the cancellation was published in the newspapers. The process for recovering money paid for the cancelled contracts has begun.”

While harping on the need for supervision, Umana argued that the ministry has well defined limits, giving clear demarcation between supervision and interference.

“I have made sure there is no ministerial interference in the management of the NDDC,” he said, noting that the rapid positive perception of the NDDC is evident in the enthusiastic response of private sector players to the invitation to dialogue on the way forward for the development of the Niger Delta.

The Minister therefore commended the management of the NDDC for organising the investment summit.

Meanwhile, stakeholders and political leaders have poured encomiums on President Buhari, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Umana Okon Umana and the management of NDDC for engendering public confidence through commitment to good public governance, which has impacted positively on peace and stability in the Niger Delta region.

Speaking separately at the NDDC-PPP Summit, senator-elect and former chairman of the APC, Mr Adams Oshiomhole ; Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Sen. Matthew Urhoghide; Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Mr Simbi Wabote; former managing director of the NDDC, Mr Timi Alaibe and former director-general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Mr Dakuku Peterside, acknowledged that things have changed for the better at the Commission.

While referring to reported cases of mismanagement in the NDDC before recent reforms, Oshiomhole wondered why anyone would run a government agency for three years with a handpicked sole administrator, where there was no provision for such aberration in the enabling law that established the agency, noting that such anomaly could never inspire public confidence in the NDDC.

Highlights of the summit included the signing of an MOU between the NDDC and Atlantic Global Resources Inc. to build a $15 billion railroad that will link all states of the Niger Delta region in a modern transport hub.