Former Niger Delta agitators have expressed their appreciation for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reported decision to bring back the oversight of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) under the Presidency.
In a statement in Port Harcourt, Mr. Nature Dumale, the National Secretary of the First Phase Ex-agitators, described the news as heart-warming and likened it to the North East Development Commission (NEDC) reporting directly to the President.
He recalled his previous campaign for the NDDC to be directly supervised by the President, and applauded Tinubu for taking action that demonstrated his genuine intention to improve the fortunes of the NDDC.
Dumale, who is also the Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) Strategic Communication Committee (SCC), emphasized that the lack of development in the Niger Delta region was due to the selfishness of individuals who treated federal government interventions as personal assets.
“We want to seize this opportunity to express our gratitude to the President for the wisdom in bringing the NDDC back under the Presidency,” Dumale said.
“We believe this will expedite the development of the region and put an end to the culture of exploiting the Commission for personal gain.
“For us, this is a sign that the President has good intentions for the Niger Delta region by summoning the political will to relocate the interventionist agency back to the Presidency. This indicates his desire for proper supervision of the NDDC.”
“As former agitators, we can confidently state that the Niger Delta has suffered due to mismanagement. This move will encourage accountability, transparency, and the much-needed development of the Niger Delta will become a reality.”
“This is a step the President has taken to give us hope as leaders in the region. We believe that with the NDDC under the supervision of the Presidency, meaningful development will be facilitated.
“The only time we experienced some development was when the NDDC was directly supervised by the Presidency. As soon as it was moved to the Ministry of Niger Delta, it became a tool for the Niger Delta Cartel to keep the region underdeveloped,” he added.
Dumale noted that in addition to the NDDC and the PAP, there was a Niger Delta Recovery Plan (NDRP) that required the ministries of petroleum, environment, and Niger Delta affairs to work together in articulating the region’s development.
He continued, “We live in a situation where a substantial amount is taken away by the federal government daily, but little progress can be seen. The condition of Ogoni-Onne-Eleme Road, which is part of the East-West road, comes to mind. The road has become a death trap, hindering the free movement of goods.”
“We stand with President Tinubu and eagerly anticipate the rapid development of our homeland,” he concluded.
He warned that the ex-agitators had been empowered with knowledge and strategies to hold their leaders accountable and would no longer tolerate the mismanagement of their resources.
“We have been equipped and we will not resort to violence. We have been trained to communicate effectively and to present our case even to the United Nations.
“Therefore, we will diplomatically and strategically confront our leaders and demand answers. The lack of accountability allows individuals to divert funds meant for our region without consequence. As the youth of Niger Delta become more aware and expose financial crimes against them on a daily basis, business as usual will no longer be tolerated.”
Dumale urged President Tinubu to compel the NDDC to release the forensic audit report on the commission and ensure that those responsible for diverting the commission’s resources are held responsible.
