Willie Etim
It was a symbolic return to the good days of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. On March 10, President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the Advisory Committee of the Commission.
While the inauguration portends the restoration of the harmonious relationship that once existed between the governors of the component states of the NDDC and the management of the commission, it reflects on the broad strategy of the President and the commission’s supervising Minister, Senator GodswillAkpabio, to restore the interventionist agency to its core values and mandate.
With the expected synergy, the strategic development of the region will be streamlined, as there will be uniformity in the planning and execution of developmental projects. Given that this is part of its restoration efforts, which will entail a forensic audit, this is a great move indeed.
For many years, the NDDC had operated without an advisory commission.
In its absence, and the absence of the statutory oversight functions of the governors and presidential monitoring committee, the commission experienced a slow collapse of its vision, mission and values and its operations suffered.
Being critical stakeholder in the development of the region, President Buhari had envisioned the continuous strengthening of the relationship between the commission and the governments of the Niger Delta States to make them partners and not competitors.
The Federal Government, through the pronouncements of President Buhari, has demonstrated enormous commitment and determination to fast track the development of the region, which the NDDC is spearheading.
Because of public outcry, resulting from the perceived ineptitude in the running of the affairs of the commission, the President has already set in motion the process of sanitizing the system and making the commission function optimally.
Before committing to that task of reinvigorating the rapid development of the region, President Buhari was mindful of the feeling and aspirations of the people of the region when he set in motion the purging and repositioning of the commission, by ordering the forensic audit of the NDDC.
Determined not to compromise on his mission, the President is putting in place structures that will strengthen the commission and has injected fresh hands who are professionals with strong moral compass and visionary skills. The Interim Management Committee led by Professor KemebradikumoPondei, is effectively pursuing the task of restoring the essence of the commission.
Made up of all the nine governors of the Niger Delta states, with additional two members the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and his Ministry of Environment counterpart, President Buhari, at the inauguration, had challenged them to show leadership through their advisory role.
To consolidate on the shared commitment to improve the lots of the Niger Delta people, Senator Akpabio had also inaugurated the presidential Monitoring Committee as set up by President Buhari.
Before the inauguration of the various committees, including the Interim Management Committee, IMC, all the governors of the Niger Delta states, had unanimously canvassed for the thorough investigation into the activities of the Niger Delta Development Commission. They had collectively submitted that the commission had not lived up to the expectation of the people of the region.
Drawing on the strength of agitations from the civil society organizations and stakeholders in the region, President Buhari made a pronouncement for the forensic audit of the commission from 2001 to 2019.
The President’s decision has been hailed as a courageous step towards redirecting the commission on the path of development and restoring its core values and mandate. It is expected that there will be a more judicious use monies voted into the development of the region.
With a definite resolve to change the narrative, reposition and imbue best practices in the operation of the commission, Senator GodswillAkpabio, on assumption of duties as the supervising Minister, assured that things will be done differently in the commission under his watch.
Rather than being commended for his genuine effort at returning sanity to the commission, several vested interests, who would want the NDDC to be run as business as usual, have rather sponsored various attacksagainst Senator Akpabio, for daring to put things right.
Majority of the people of the Niger Delta region, however, continue to applaud President Buhari for working to improve the operations of the commission, in order to facilitate the rapid, even and sustainable development of the Niger Delta, into a region that is socially stable, economically prosperous, politically peaceful and ecologically regenerative.
The forensic audit is the first step. Reviving and strengthening the institutions is the next step. Then equipping and empowering the commission, with the right manpower, resources and vision, contained within its mandate to bring prosperity to the region, is the last, most important step.
The immediate past chairman of the Board of the Commission, Senator Victor NdomaEgba, in a recent interview said: “I am very much in support of the move. Certainly, the NDDC needs a forensic audit. And that need has been there for a very long time. The President has taken the right step in the right direction.”
Every patriotic stakeholder has commended the determination of the President to bring sanity to the commission.
The Chairman of the Niger Delta Oil Producing States, and Governor of Delta State, DrIfeanyiOkowa, soon after the inauguration of the advisory committee by President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, commended the President for taking the bold step to reconstitute the committee.
He said: “This is a committee that is actually established by the NDDC Act, but for some years the committee has not been put in place.
During the time of President Obasanjo the Committee was in place. We are all aware that the Advisory Committee is to offer advice to the Board and also help to monitor the activities of the Board, to ensure that it is in line with the objectives of the Commission.”
The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, as the supervising minister, briefed members of the advisory committee on actions being taken for which members of the committee had expressed satisfaction. With a scheduled meeting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on April 2, Governor Okowa said that the committee will be able to look at further details which will put them in position to actually begin to offer advice on what the commission ought to do. He said they will also find ways and means to collaborate with the commission to ensure that they are able to undertake programmes and projects in the best interest of the Niger Delta region.
With the appointment of Professor Pondei, a man with a proven track record, to drive the process of reform in the commission, as Acting Managing Director, there is a glimmer of hope in the region.
Given his pedigree, Professor Pondei has what it takes to assume the task of repositioning of the NDDC, along with the other members of the expanded Interim Management Committee, IMC, of the Commission.
He has a duty to work seamlessly with Acting Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Chief IbangaBasseyEtang, the Acting
Executive Director Projects, Dr Cairo Ojougboh, a former Vice President with African Development Bank, Cecilia BukolaAkintomide and Mrs. Caroline Nagbo, who are the other members of the IMC.
Pondei is not new to undertaking challenging tasks and he hopes to build on his wealth of experience to succeed. He commands a leadership style that inspires and brings out the best in workers. He is imbued with the confidence and conviction that drives the pursuit of team work and excellence.
Prof. Pondei as a seasoned administrator has the capacity to manage a complex institution like the NDDC, especially to midwife the expected forensic audit ordered by President MuhammaduBuhari.
The new Acting Managing Director is expected to be responsive to the yearnings of the people of Niger Delta who believe that while the IMC was set up to oversee the forensic audit, it does not mean that the primary responsibility of the Commission would be put in abeyance.
Prof. Pondei says that members of the new NDDC Interim Management had resolved to work together as an indivisible team. He, however, adds that the IMC needs to work in harmony with the NDDC management and staff.
He says: “We are not supposed to be the way we are. We are not supposed to be at the same level with other parts of the country. We are supposed to be different, considering what we contribute to the economy of this country.”
Prof Pondei told the NDDC staff: “We must come up with ways of improving on our service delivery. We need to drive this seriously. We must pay serious attention to efficiency and quality. Every department will need to come up with new work plans and we need to have measurable indices on those work plans.”
However, the head of the Interim Management Committee, has admitted that the IMC met a lot ofobstacles when they assumed duties but assured that they we will do everything within their powers and with the resources available to change the narrative of the Niger Delta region.