Minister of
Niger Delta, Usani Uguru Usani has asked the management of the Akwa Ibom State
office of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), to submit a
detailed
report on the status of all ongoing and abandoned projects of the commission in
the state.
According to the sun news the
decision, according to the minister was to take critical assessment of
developmental projects in the state with a view to either reviewing the
contracts or appropriate more funds to fast track their completion.
The
ministry, in a statement, yesterday noted that the minister gave the directive
during an unscheduled inspection of some NDDC projects in Akwa Ibom last
Friday.
Uguru was
particularly concerned with the level of abandoned projects in the region,
restating his commitment to effect a durable change in that regard.
The
minister, in the statement signed by Director of Press, Mr. Marshall Gundu,
expressed discontent with the absence of human and infrastructural development
in the oil-rich region in spite of huge financial investment by successive
administrations.
He said: “We
came to inspect projects of NDDC in Akwa Ibom State because we are worried that
despite huge debt profile of the commission, nothing tangible could justify the
spending.
“It is quite
disturbing that with the huge investment of resources from oil companies,
government and all intervention programmes, the region is still backward. But
that would be history in no distant time.”
Uguru was
optimistic that the recent measures taken by the ministry would effect the
needed changes in infrastructural provision in the region thus improving the
living condition of the people.
“The
platform recently created to strengthen synergy with agencies concerned with
development projects in the Niger Delta region would ensure an objective
opinion of all projects in the region,” he said.
He urged
staff and management of the Akwa Ibom State office of NDDC to comply with the
directive, threatening to punish anyone found to be hoarding information and
documents needed for the quick and timely delivery of the comprehensive report.
The
statement further indicated that the minister and his team inspected some
ongoing projects, including prototype students hostel located at the University
of Uyo and an abandoned road project site at Ikot Akpatek, in Onna Local
Government Area.
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