Buhari sacks NDDC Acting MD, Nunieh

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Prof. Kemebradikumo Daniel Pondei as the Acting Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

According to a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Adesina in Abuja on Wednesday, Professor Pondei is to take over from the present Acting Managing Director, Barrister Joi Nunieh.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the enlargement of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) from three to five.

“The five members of the committee are now: Professor Kemebradikumo Daniel Pondei, who is the Ag. Managing Director, replacing Barrister Joy Nunieh; Dr Cairo Ojougboh, Ag. Executive Director (Projects); Mr Ibanga Bassey Etang, Ag. Executive Director (Finance and Administration); Mrs Caroline Nagbo (Member); and Cecilia Bukola Akintomide, OON, a former Vice President with African Development Bank, (Member).

“Prof K.D Pondei, the new Ag. Managing Director, is a Professor of Medicine at the Niger Delta University, and former Provost, College of Health Sciences of the institution,” the statement read in part.

The Interim Management Committee would be in place till the forensic audit of the NDDC is concluded, President Buhari had directed.

President Buhari had, in October, 2019, ordered a forensic audit of the operations of the NDDC from 2001 to 2019, following persistent criticisms of the operations of the organisation.

He gave the order at the State House, Abuja, when he received governors of the states that make up the commission, led by former Governor of Bayelsa State Seriake Dickson.

The president said what is presently on the ground in the South-south region did not justify the huge resources that had been made available to the organisation.

“I try to follow the Act setting up these institutions, especially the NDDC. With the amount of money that the Federal Government has religiously allocated to the NDDC, we will like to see the results on the ground; those that are responsible for that have to explain certain issues.

In pursuant to this, the Federal Executive Council (FEC), last Wednesday, approved a contract of N318 million to engage the firm of Olumuyiwa, Bashir and Co. Ltd as Lead Consultant for the forensic audit of the NDDC.

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, who briefed journalists after the FEC meeting at the State House, said the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC would collaborate with the lead consultant.

He said, “Of course, it’s as a result of the fact that we have not had value for the money expended in that commission since inception.”