……Calls On President Buhari to Split Board
The lawmaker representing Jeremi Ward 3 (6), in Ughelli South Legislative arm, Delta State, Hon. Mere Williams has frawned on the Interim Management Committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC over alleged embezzlement of N81.5billion fund of the commission just as he supports the ongoing probe by the National Assembly to bring sanity to the commission.
He maintained that the poor management of funds accruing to the commission by those appointed to head the it has been the major bane in the development of the region.
Hon. Mere who was also the National President of Dominant Political Forum for Atiku in the 2019 Elections, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to take uncompromising action against the gross misconduct and misappropriation bedevelling the commission in line with his fight against corruption matra.
According to Hon. Mere, “the NDDC that we know today have nothing good to write about because it has failed in its primary duty despite the huge fund being allocated to it by the federal government.
“It is high time the President use his official power to take necessary decision rather than waiting till when problem will erupt in the region, the time to change the negative narrative of NDDC is now.”
Hon Mere, use the medium to appealed to President Mohammadu Buhari to use his good office to reposition the commission by splitting it into nine boards according to the States which comprises the Niger Delta region, with each state controlling the affairs of its board in order to speed the development of the Niger Delta.
Speaking further, Mere disclosed that there is tension in the Niger Delta region over the issue of appointment of another Coordinator to the Presidential Amnesty Programme that has lied in wait for so long.
He said, “Since inception of appointment into the office of the Special Adviser to the President/Coordinator of the presidential amnesty programme till date, no Deltan has been appointed into the office despite its great contribution to national interest, but other personalities including, Timi Alaibe ( Bayelsa), Hon Kingsley Kuku (Ondo), General Paul Boroh (Bayelsa), Prof Charles Dokubo (Rivers) in the Niger Delta region have emerged in different consecutive administrations. Mr. President should not only consider Deltan but Delta Central.
