Niger Delta youths condemn attack on NDDC

A group under the aegis of Niger Delta Youths for peace, equity and development (NDYPED) has condemned in strong terms the recent Media attack on the Niger Delta Development Commission. NDDC, describing it as a sponsored diatribe of blackmail, hatred and retrogression by some selfish politicians angling for positions in the commission. 

 Addressing newsmen in Uyo over the weekend on Monday, the National President of the group, Prince Ubong Umana, Mr. Lawrence Eno Alfred, National Secretary and Mr. Justin Akaninyene Edem, PRO, said the campaign of calumny lunched against the commission was a way of drawing the region backwards.  

He said, “over the past two years the region has witnessed tremendous infrastructure development courtesy of NDDC, youths empowerment and training programmes has taken the front burner, yet some selfish individuals are busy writing frivolous petitions”. 

The youth leader scored the commission high in terms of roads rehabilitation, renovation of schools and provision of amenities to tertiary institutions across the region. 

On award of contracts, the group said the present Managing Director (MD) of the commission, Obong Bassey Dan Abia was a seasoned administrator and a man of integrity who has a legacy of adhering to due process, adding that the Board has an internal mechanism that promotes due process.  

The group called on youths and the good people of the region to ignore the banters of some unscrupulous politicians who by virtue of their retrogressive tendencies are bent on taking over the management of the commission through backstabbing and blackmail. 

 “The Presidency, under President Muhammadu Buhari will surely look into the activities of the commission and we are sure that all the insinuations and allegations leveled against it will turn out to be false”. 

“We are calling on management of the commission to remain focused in service delivery and to ensure that contracts are completed for the general interest of the Niger Delta Region”, the group said.  

The group commended President Buhari for approving the commencement of payment of allowances to ex-militants and called on the coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Major General Paul Tarila Boroh (Rtd) to ensure that beneficiaries of the programme who are in training schools abroad be attended to as their conditions calls for urgent attention.