NDDC fails to address Niger Delta developmental challenges, says Gbajabiamila

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila on Tuesday said that despite the creation of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to spur development in the oil-rich region, the commission has failed to fulfill its mandate.

He stated this while declaring open a public hearing by the House Committee on NDDC on the activities of the commission over the years.

Gbajabiamila stated that the commission was established to address the challenges being faced by the region since the discovery of fossil fuels in the Niger Delta region of the country.

He noted that, despite the fact that exploration, production and sales of crude oil have been the bedrock of Nigeria’s economy, little effort has been made to the development of the region to reflect its contributions to the economic development of the Nigerian state.

“In the year 2000, the Federal Government took active measures to correct this historical error by establishing the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to facilitate the sustainable development of the Niger Delta, support the regeneration of ecologically damaged areas and achieve economic prosperity for the region.

“Since then, enormous amounts of money have been allocated to the commission through the national appropriations process, and contributions from the International Oil Companies (IOCs) to achieve these objectives,” he said.