Umana Umana, immediate past minister of Niger Delta affairs, says he knew that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) could not function effectively without a board.
He said this when some stakeholders in the region held a gathering to commend him for his stewardship at the ministry.
The immediate pat minister, who thanked ex-President Muhammadu Buhari for all the positive changes that took place in the NDDC and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, said he was humbled by the kind words from his guests over his contributions as minister.
He explained that at the outset of his assignment as minister he needed to address a few issues, top of which was the constitution of the board of the NDDC.
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“I knew the commission could not function properly without a board,” he said.
“Even the International Oil Companies (IOCs) were not willing to deal with the commission because of the board issue.” He explained that without a board the commission, which is a creation of the law, could not be functioning according to law.
Umana said as a deliberate policy he informed the chief executive of the NDDC that he was in charge of running the commission, and that the minister would only supervise.
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“For me, there is a difference between supervision and interference,” Umana said.
He said government needed to put in place and execute a policy of accountability and transparency to bring to an end the rancour in the region.
On their part, the stakeholders commended the leadership qualities of Umana, describing his stint at the ministry as “full of impact in the key areas needed to bring accountability and stability to the Niger Delta Development Commission and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.”
Led by Benjamin Okaba, president-general of the Conference of Ethnic Nationalities in the Niger Delta, the all-Niger Delta delegation of leaders which visited the former minister in his office during the weekend said they came to express the appreciation of their people to Umana “for his short but very impactful” tenure at the ministry.
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Okaba said the Niger Delta people were grateful to the former minister for the constitution of the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and for his style of leadership that was devoid of undue interference in the affairs of the NDDC.
Anabs Sara Igbe, chairman of the Critical Stakeholders Executives, who also spoke during the visit, described the relationship between the NDDC and its supervising ministry under the leadership of Umana as a remarkable departure from the past.
Igbe extolled Umana’s “understanding and leadership that have made all the difference,” urging leaders of the region to maximise the opportunities which the Ministry of Niger Delta represents because it may not be there forever.”
Another member of the delegation, Chief Ita Ante, president of Oron National Forum, described Umana as a compassionate man.
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