NDDC crisis: Stop blaming North for commission’s failure — CSO

The Vanguard for the Protection of Rights of Citizens of Nigeria (VPRCN) has called for the return of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to the Presidency for accountable supervision.

The group’s National Coordinator, Sharon Faliya Cham and Publicity Director, Bitrus Yakubu, made the demand on Tuesday during a rally held at the entrance of the National Assembly complex in Abuja.

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They also said that it was wrong for the people of the Niger Delta to continue to blame the North and it’s leaders for the oil-rich region’s underdevelopment.

Yakubu said the protest was in the interest of the region and the nation and that their asking for the return of the NDDC to the Presidency was a wakeup call to Niger Delta youths to probe the real reason for the perpetual underdevelopment of the region.

“There had been insinuations that the developmental crisis facing the region had been the fault of the north, but recent revelations had indicated that the rot, which had kept the region on the backwards gear, had all along been perpetrated by the leaders of the region.

“There have been insinuations coming out of the Niger Delta suggesting that the north is behind their underdevelopment, the bastardisation of their land, the pollution, the degradation and all that.

“That is why we are bringing this to their notice that the Niger Delta youths should rise up and ask their leaders questions. What happened to the billions of dollars pumped into the region for the sole purpose of its development? What happened to the money? Is it the northerners that went in to collect these monies?

“This is why we are saying to the Niger Deltans, the north is not your problem. Your problems are your leaders; the politicians from your region, the traditional leaders of the region, the contractors that connive with their leaders to short-change the people. They should open up their eyes and see things for themselves,” Yakubu said.

He added that they are also conscientising Nigerians that what is being witnessed in the NDDC and the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs is not palatable.

While speaking on the need for the NDDC to be returned to the Presidency, the Coordinator of the group, Mr. Cham, said the call became needful considering the fact that the current Presidency enjoys a high level of credibility and trust and would be able to instil sanity in NDDC.