Only contractors with capacity should get NDDC contracts – Reps

Federal lawmaker and Chairman, House Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said the committee has resolved that only contractors with capacity should be awarded contracts by the Commission.

Tunji-Ojo disclosed this on Friday during an oversight tour of the headquarters of NDDC and other project sites in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

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Speaking during the visit, he said: “This is an additional measure to mitigate contract failure and enhancement of value-added service to the Niger Delta region.”

Tunji-Ojo posited that the House Committee has resolved to work with the management team of the Commission and other critical stakeholders to resolve the lingering issue of abandoned projects confronting NDDC.

He also assured that the committee was prepared to give impetus to the NDDC to put a mechanism in place to mitigate the worrisome issue of abandoned projects that are plaguing the Niger Delta region.

Moreso, Tunji-Ojo further asserted during the tour that the review and implementation of Niger Delta master plan was long overdue and therefore urged all critical stakeholders to jointly review, implement and commit the master plan of NDDC to effective implementation.

He also canvassed a comprehensive amendment of the NDDC Establishment Act to rework the commission’s activities.

Tunji-Ojo also suggested that only a sub-section of the NDDC Act should be amended in order to avoid public queries and make the exercise to be in compliance with global best practices to ensure better effectiveness in service delivery.

In his response, the Sole Interim Administrator of NDDC, Effiong Okon Akwa, said the canvassed position that only contractors with capacities should be awarded contracts and the suggested reviewing of the Commission’s master plan were good ideas.

He also supported the need to amend the NDDC Establishment Act to ensure the appointment of competent and capable Director of Projects.

Moreso, Okon Akwa also appealed to members of the House Committee on NDDC to forgive members of the Commission for wrongdoings of the past.

He pleaded for a robust working relationship between members of the House Committee on NDDC and management of the Commission.