House minority caucus rejects appointment of NDDC sole administrator

The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives has rejected the appointment of a sole administrator for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) by President Muhammadu Buhari, describing it as a disservice to the people of Niger Delta region.

The caucus, in a statement by its Leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, called on President Buhari to without further delay, inaugurate a governing board for the NDDC as required by the Act establishing the commission.

The caucus opined that the recourse to a sole administrator instead of the governing board is ill-advised, as it will promote corruption, alienate the people, trigger disagreements and worsen the managerial sleaze that is crippling the commission.

The statement read: “The appointment of a sole administrator for the NDDC is a further pathway to deprive the people of the Niger Delta of the much desired infrastructural development in their area. The earlier resort to an Interim Management Committee and now a sole administrator, instead of a governing board, has heightened apprehensions in the region. This is not healthy, particularly given the strategic place the Niger Delta occupies in national economy and development.

“Our caucus therefore urges President Buhari to douse the tension by immediately inaugurating a governing board for the NDDC as provided for in the establishment Act, so that the people of the Niger Delta region can start enjoying the much-needed infrastructural development through a properly constituted commission.” (THISDAY)