By kenechukwu obiajuru, yenagoa
Former militant leaders under the aegis of Niger Delta Ex-Agitators Forum (NDEF) has described as “commendable” and “signs of committed Leadership” the decision by the present management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to redeployment of some top Directors and Investigate others over alleged corrupt practices at the Commission.
The group, said the issue of in-house self appraisal with were signs of a committed leadership, the action which will change the negative sterotype attached on the commission and refocus the commission to its original mandate.
The NDE, in an emailed statement from Yenagoa and signed by its President, Prince Amaibi Hornby also known as Busta Rymes, applauded the Victor Ndoma-Egba led new board of the NDDC for initiating the 21-point focus of direction at NDDC
According to the Statement, “We believe that these are moves that will eventually refocus the commission to its original mandate.The reform will make NDDC the vehicle to bring development and peace to the troubled Niger Delta and restore the confidence of the entire nation in the commission especially at this challenging time.”
“This will also entrench transparency and enable the commission to get necessary and important support from stakeholders,” NDEF stated.
The group noted that NDDC’s partnership with the Bureau for Public Service Reforms, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and Open Government Partnership, will establish transparency in the commission.
NDEF condemned the recent reports that the NDDC was purchasing cars at the expense of developing the Niger Delta oil communities when investigations showed that NDDC was yet to even get approval to acquire operational vehicles.
“The ugly situations in the past where people used blackmail and force of coercion to get what they wanted in the NDDC should stop as it was a major contributory factor to the woeful performances of the commission in the past.
“The present management board is made up of credible people from the Niger Delta, who have served the public in the past with proven integrity and in various capacities with unquestionable reputations.
“Resorting to forces of blackmail and coercion will never help us. Information should be thoroughly investigated before allegations are made.Let us all support this new management of the NDDC to chart a new course for the commission and not to blackmail them,” NDEF said.