Minister inaugurates NDDC board, asks members to change ‘abandoned projects’ narrative

Abubakar Momoh, minister of Niger Delta development, has inaugurated the new governing board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Speaking during the inauguration on Thursday, Momoh asked the new members of the board to change the “negative narratives” around the commission, adding that they must perform or get sacked.

The minister said the administration of President Bola Tinubu is “quite different” and that there will be a lot of supervision and monitoring to enhance performance.

Momoh said members of the board would be made to sign performance bonds during a proposed retreat for NDDC board members and the management team.

“I want to also use this opportunity to appeal that this time around, we need to change the narratives,” the minister was quoted as saying in a statement by Pius Ughakpoteni, director, corporate affairs of NDDC.

“All those negative statements around the commission, let us as much as possible, this time to say well under the presidency of Mr. President Bola Tinubu and my leadership in the ministry and yourself operating at that level, that all those negative statements about NDDC are changed.

“And what am I saying? There are quite a number of abandoned projects in NDDC; there are quite a number of indebtedness in NDDC.”

On his part, Chinedu Ebie, chairperson of the commission, said there is a need for collaboration to achieve the mandate of Tinubu’s administration.

Ebie called for the support of stakeholders to enable the board to create a new era of peace and sustainable development in the Niger Delta.

In August, Tinubu appointed board members and a management team for NDDC.