Ex-gov advocates review
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Immediate- past Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has expressed disappointment over the activities of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, saying it has now become “a cash cow” instead of a development organisation.
The former Governor who stated this while speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of Governor Siminialayi Fubara’s N195.3bn Port Harcourt Ring Road, advocated immediate review of the commission.
According to Wike, if NDDC as a commission were living up to its responsibilities, the Rivers State Government would not have to be funding the Ring Road project as the commission would simply have undertaken it.
Wike expressed regrets that NDDC was rather interested in executing minor projects without much relevance to the people, a tact according to him, some unpatriotic elements in the commission use as a ploy to siphon public funds.
“Ordinarily, this project you’re doing is meant to be done by NDDC if it was a development commission.
“Unfortunately, what we have is Niger Delta Cash Cow.
“NDDC is a cash cow, not a development commission. Please, change that phrase to Niger Delta Cash Cow.
“All they do is go to a primary school; stating that they are doing a six-classroom block which nobody asked them to do.”
The former Governor said that the scramble for the Chairmanship or Minister of the commission was all about how much to grab and not for public service.
“Everyone wants to be chairman of NDDC, Minister of NDDC, all because of cash cow. I believe our President would change what we use to have as cash cow to bring development to Niger Delta.
“I’ve never seen a region that hates itself like our region. I’ve never seen that.”
Wike pleaded with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to reorganise the commission so it could live up to expectations.
