Major stakeholders in the Niger Delta region have passed a vote of confidence on the three-man Interim Management Committee approved by President Muhammadu Buhari to oversee the affairs of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Speaking on Thursday during a courtesy visit at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt, some of the stakeholders, which included Mr Ebikabowei Victor Ben (Boyloaf), and Mr Sobomabo Jackrich (Egberipapa) told the new management team that the people of the region were behind them.
Seated with the NDDC Acting Managing Director, Gbene Dr Joi Nunieh, during the visit were the Acting Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Chief Ibanga Bassey Etang and the Acting Executive Director, Projects, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh.
Victor Ben said they were at the NDDC to show solidarity with the management team because they were worried by the conflicting information concerning the Commission in recent times and needed to make their position clear.
He said: “We asked ourselves whether members of the Interim Management Committee are not from the Niger Delta. We want to assure you of our support and be rest assured that we will throw our weight behind you.”
Victor Ben expressed confidence that the new helmsmen at the NDDC would not disappoint the people of the region, stating that the stakeholders only needed to be sure that the team would work in the interest of the people.
Speaking in the same vein, Mr Jackrich, a one-time caretaker chairman of Asari-Toru council, said that with the caliber of people in the management committee, there was no room for failure.
He declared: “We trust that we now have the kind of persons that can be trusted to deliver credible and quality jobs in the Niger Delta region.
Jackrich said it was re-assuring that the new management committee was taking development to the rural communities. “This has been our prayers for a long time,” he said, stating that the region’s stakeholders were solidly behind the NDDC.
He stated: “We will support you and we will ensure that you succeed. We believe that as you go round to inspect projects, you will insist on quality and prompt delivery. As eminently qualified Niger Deltans, we believe in your ability and we have no reservations in passing a vote of confidence in your team.”
The NDDC Chief Executive Officer thanked the stakeholders for visiting the NDDC to show support, pledging that NDDC would not disappoint the people of the Niger Delta region.
Dr Nunieh re-stated the resolve of the NDDC to take development to the rural communities, adding: “We are very determined to take development back to the rural areas. Everyone in the rural communities will feel the impact of the NDDC.”
According to her, “we will meet our brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers in the villages with development projects. They will know that indeed there are people who can make things work.”
“The President insists that we take development to the people because they deserve it. He insists that we must be accountable to the Federal Government and we must work with the state governments to avoid the duplication of projects.”
The NDDC boss told the stakeholders that when next they visit NDDC, it would be to confirm that some people were indeed determined to do the right things.
She said: “We appreciate the fact that you have taken the trouble to come to let us know that you stand with us. Take our message to those in the rural communities and tell them that we are coming with development for them.”