Sylvester Idowu in Warri
The traditional ruler of Idjerhe Kingdom, an oil-bearing community in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State, HRM King Obukowho Monday Whiskey, has called on the newly-constituted board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to revisit all the abandoned NDDC-sponsored projects in the community without further delay.
He said the community could only pass vote of confidence on the new NDDC board if they see the board in action.
The paramount ruler, while addressing journalists in his palace on behalf of the community over the weekend, maintained that “the issue of vote of confidence in the newly-constituted NDDC board has not arisen. It is the board’s action and performance that will determine it.”
The traditional ruler lamented that not less than five abandoned NDDC-sponsored projects comprising mainly inter-community roads have been lying fallow in different parts of the kingdom to the detriment of the residents.
He added: “If you go round the kingdom of Idjerhe as we speak, there are about five abandoned NDDC-sponsored projects. Between Okwekan and Ugberi where you have the major oil stations, there is an abandoned road project there. Between Igbomoja and Ofadi, there is an abandoned road project there. Also, between Boboroku and Agalope, there is a major road project with three bridges that have been abandoned.
“Idjerhe Kingdom is a major producer of the oil minerals feeding the country as at today. And because NDDC has not had a stable board in the past three years, many things were not properly put in place. Now that NDDC has a board, the cart is now on their table.”
The monarch, therefore, requested the current leadership of NDDC to revisit the abandoned projects in Idjerhe kingdom and put in place plans for new ones “so that the benefits that are associated with oil that our kingdom is producing can be visible in the kingdom.
“In view of all the above, therefore, the issue of vote of confidence in the newly-constituted NDDC board has not arisen. It is the board’s action and performance that will determine that.”
The traditional ruler urged the newly-constituted NDDC Board to be seen as hitting the ground running by putting in their best in carrying out the mandates of the interventionist agency.
He also appealed to NDDC’s sister partners, notably the international oil corporations, to continue to keep their own side of the mandates, noting that the commission needs adequate funding to enable it carry out its very many responsibilities, especially executing the abandoned projects.
Last modified: February 13, 2023
