From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Stakeholders in the Niger Delta region have demanded the public disclosure of the forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
They are also seeking the prosecution of all contractors indicted in the forensic audit completed months ago with the report already presented to the Presidency.
The stakeholders spoke at a one –day programme tagged: Consultative Forum on Strengthening NDDC- Citizens Relationship organised by Social Action in collaboration with MacArthur Foundation.
According to the stakeholders people who stole the commonwealth of the people should be prosecuted to serve as deterrence.
Mr Prince Edegbuo, Senior Programmes Officer, Social Action, in his opening remarks called for a new NDDC because according to him revelations from the audit report had indicated that the intervention agency had derailed over the years.
Edegbuo who lamented that 13,000 contracts have been abandoned across the Niger Delta region stated that the time for blame game is over as the people need to sit down to talk on charting a new course for the NDDC that would be driven by the needs of the people.
The Director, We The People, Mr Ken Henshaw in his presentation: NDDC AND Citizens Relationship: Challenges and Opportunity for Collaboration Engagement for Inclusive and Effective Service Delivery went to memory lane to recall the developmental needs and agitations of the Niger Delta people dating back to the Willink’s Commission of 1957 which culminated in the establishment of the NDDC in 2000.
Henshaw who described the audit as a courageous bold step by the current administration urged stakeholders to continue to insist on the unveiling of identities of those who fleeced resources meant for their development.
He urged the government to make the report public and commence the prosecution of firms and individuals fingered in the audit report release three months ago.
According to him while the challenges and obstacles faced by the NDDC had always been there, he expressed regret that the magnitude of corruption in the NDDC as presently constituted was huge.
Henshaw advocated for the participation of citizens in their needs assessment and monitoring of projects as opposed to the practice where NDDC alienates the people and foist projects that do not add value to the people.
He urged the people to change the current attitude of endorsing diversion of funds meant for development purposes adding that if the society ostracised ill-gotten wealth, it would mount pressure on people to be upright.
Also speaking, Princess Elizabeth Egbe expressed disappointment with the non participation of the NDDC in the forum in spite of a formal invitation.
She advocated a new approach to ensure that the people of the region were adequately sensitised to demand accountability for resources that accrue to the NDDC.