Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has pledged to collaborate with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in its renewed effort to address the issues confronting the people.
He stated this when he received in audience the Acting Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Gbene (Dr) Joi Nuneih and her team at Government House Umuahia.
The Governor said that for the first time NDDC is responding to the issues that confront the people and commended the inclusion approach introduced by the acting managing director.
He called for support to the new NDDC boss in her bid to remodel the NDDC around to cater for the needs of oil bearing communities.
The governor stressed the need for NDDC to do projects dispassionately as well as to ascertain the socio-economic impact of projects.
Ikpeazu also lauded the member of the House Committee of the NDDC and representative of Bende in the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu for his quality representation.
Earlier, the acting Managing Director of NDDC, Gbene Nuneih who disclosed that there are a total 633 NDDC projects at various stages in the State, saying that their visit to Aba was to see things for themselves as well as to officially handover the list of projects to the governor.
According to her, the essence was to avoid duplication of projects and to do away with agents. She regretted the disappointing state of the oil communities.
Nuneih stated the commission’s commitment to have credibility as well as to collaborate with the states with a view to working directly with the rural communities.
Also, the member representing Bende Federal constituency and Chairman House Committee on Media and Publicity, Benjamin Okezie Kalu stated the need to clean up the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and also get things right.
He noted that with the presentation of the list of projects in the state, duplication of projects will be circumvented considering the paucity of funds in the state.