By Ebi Kesiena
The Minister of Niger Delta Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, has issued a warning to the newly inaugurated Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Board, emphasizing the imperative to deliver results or face removal from office.
Speaking during the inauguration of the Chiedu Ebie-led NDDC Board in Abuja on Thursday, the Minister underscored the distinctiveness of the current administration, outlining a heightened level of supervision and monitoring.
He stressed that failure to meet performance expectations would result in the removal of the Board.
“This administration is quite different from others because there is going to be a lot of supervision and monitoring in order for us to deliver,” stated Engr. Abubakar Momoh.
He disclosed that the administration had signed a performance bond with specific deliverables associated with presidential priorities, placing NDDC under close scrutiny to ensure goal attainment.
In addition to the performance-oriented directive, the Minister urged the board to alter the negative public perception surrounding the NDDC. Admitting past complaints, he emphasized the need for a transformative approach to address the challenges faced by the Commission.
“We need to change the narratives. We cannot continue to do the same thing in the same way and expect that we are going to achieve a different result,” the Minister said.
Engr. Abubakar Momoh charged the Board with the responsibility of completing numerous abandoned projects across the nine states under the NDDC’s purview. He stressed the importance of developing the region and called for a focus on projects that would significantly impact the area.
Furthermore, the Minister urged the Board to settle the commission’s debts to contractors, particularly local contractors with amounts not exceeding N30 million. This, he explained, would stimulate economic activities in the region.
Highlighting the necessity for teamwork, Engr. Abubakar Momoh emphasized that conflicts within the Board could lead to dissolution or the removal of its members by the President. He advised against internal conflicts, urging the Board to collaborate harmoniously to achieve meaningful results.
“By the time you know your roles, I don’t think there will be a problem. It’s only when you don’t engage yourself as one that is when you begin to have conflicts, and when there is conflict, you know what that can result in,” cautioned the Minister.
The newly inaugurated NDDC Board is thus tasked with a dual mandate of ensuring effective performance and steering the Commission towards transformative change.
