The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)

  • Why Buhari must constitute NNPC board- APC youths

    Why Buhari must constitute NNPC board- APC youths

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Southern Senatorial District Youths in Ondo State have urged President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently constitute board members for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    The youths spoke through their senatorial youths leader, Mr. Soji Ogungbeni, to reporters shortly after their monthly meeting held in Okitipupa local government.

    The youth leader blamed resuscitation of militancy in the Niger Delta region as the failure of the present administration to constitute the NDDC board.

    Ogungbeni expressed optimism that if the government put in place the board, it would help to arrest the scourge of militants’ activities in the region.

    The APC chieftain noted that “the President must understand that his failure to constitute the NDDC board has drawn the Niger Delta, which Ondo southern senatorial district is part of backward.

    “We the youths in APC believe that putting in place the board would fast track development and also help to curb the resuscitation of militants activities in the region.

    “The President must understand that the Niger Delta areas lay the gold egg and issues affecting these areas must be given a special attention.

    “We the youths from the Niger Delta areas believe in this present administration and we also believe that we are in safe hand”

    He however commended the President for appointing the APC South West Vice-Chairman, Chief Pius Akinyelure as a member of NNPC.

  • APC youths task Buhari on NDDC board

    APC youths task Buhari on NDDC board

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Southern Senatorial District Youths in Ondo State have urged President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently constitute board members for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
    The youths spoke through their senatorial youth leader, Mr. Soji Ogungbeni, to reporters shortly after their monthly meeting held in Okitipupa local government.
    The youth leader blamed resuscitation of militancy in the Niger Delta region as the failure of the present administration to constitute the NDDC board.
    Ogungbeni expressed optimism that if the government put the board in place, it would help to arrest the scourge of militants’ activities in the region.
    The APC chieftain noted that “the President must understand that his failure to constitute the NDDC board has drawn the Niger Delta, which Ondo southern senatorial district is part of backward.
    “We the youths in APC believe that putting the board in place would fast track development and also help to curb the resuscitation of militant activities in the region.
    “The President must understand that the Niger Delta areas lay the gold egg and issues affecting these areas must be given a special attention.
    “We the youths from the Niger Delta areas believe in this present administration and we also believe that we are in safe hand.”
    However, he commended the President for appointing the APC South West Vice-Chairman, Chief Pius Akinyelure as a member of NNPC.
  • Abdulsalam to Niger Delta Avengers: Embrace dialogue

    Abdulsalam to Niger Delta Avengers: Embrace dialogue

    Former Head of State, General Abubakar Abdulsalam has stated that the continuous attacks on oil installations by the Niger Delta Avengers is uncalled for urging them to ‎embrace dialogue with the Federal Government as a means of finding a lasting solution to the current crisis rocking the Niger Delta region.

    Abdulsalam said the attacks have done more harm than good because the people in the Niger Delta region is suffering more from the effect adding that they would be the biggest loser at the end of the day as much harm is done to land and aquatic lives of the region.

    He said that the activities of the militants will also possibly lead to drop in the funding of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    Abdulsalam made the call Tuesday when the leadership of the Niger State House of Assembly paid him a courtesy visit at his Uphill Residence in Minna to felicitate‎ with him on the occasion of his 74th birthday.

    “The avengers are now out, what are they avenging and they are destroying our country and if they do not realize it, it is their land that would be affected most.

    “They are doing more damage to their area as they will not have land to farm and will not be able to go fishing as well and even the 13 percent derivation from the FG would be affected.

    “So, I do hope they will see reason and give peace a chance, because even if you fight a war and win, you must come and still sit down with people you conquered.”

    The former military ruler called on Nigerians to intensify prayers for the unity and prosperity of the nation, adding that the country was in a critical condition.

    “We need to intensify prayers for God to save us, because we are in a critical condition; oil production is at its lowest.

    “So I am begging everyone, in the spirit of Ramadan, whatever religion you any one is following, let us give peace a chance.”

    He also tasked members of the state Assembly on passing laws and resolutions that would impact positively on the citizens.

    In his remarks, the Speaker of the Niger Assembly, Hon. Ahmed Marafa said they had visited the former military leader to felicitate with him on his 74th birthday.

    Marafa prayed God to grant him more wisdom, stressing that the state and the nation at large had benefited greatly from his wise counsel over the years.

  • AAUA students urge NDDC, OSOPADEC on hostel completion

    As the accommodation challenges bite harder, the students of Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba Akoko have called on the leadership of the Federal government Agency, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Ondo State Oil Producing Development Commission (OSOPADEC) to complete the ongoing hostel accommodation in the campus.
    It would be recalled, that the two agencies started the construction of the hostel projects few years ago and has been abandoned since 2014.
    Mary Adeola, 200Level Mass communication said: “We call on them to as a matter of urgency resume work at the site of the project and help us complete the hostels because a large number of us are facing a lot of hardship off campus”
    On his part, Faniyi Inumidun, 400Level Accounting department expressed his displeasure over how the hostel projects, which was nearing completion were abandoned over the years without any official communication. He called on the school management to engage them towards the completion of the projects.
    Also speaking, the student Union President, Adegbola Odunyemi said a large number of AAUA students are facing serious accommodation hardship, ranging from lack of adequate water, epileptic power supply, insecurity and unconducive environment among others, which he said has affected the performance of the students.
    The student union President urged the leadership of the agencies to help in the completion of the hostels in order to bring more students on campus for accommodation.
    He further urged the school management to approach more corporate bodies and private individuals who are willing to build more hostels in the campus.
    The Dean of Students Affairs, Dr Bolanle Ogungbamila said the institution is doing everything possible to provide more hostel accommodation for its students.
    He said while the university was aware of some of the hardships being faced by students off campus, said no institution would be able to provide accommodation for all its students.
    Dr Ogungbamila said in order to monitor and ensure the safety of the students, the management has approved the creation of an off campus student affairs unit.
    He said the unit will be saddled with the responsibility of getting the outside hostels accredited and of course interact with the students regularly to know some of the problems they are facing.

  • NDDC to sanction erring contractors

    NDDC to sanction erring contractors

    The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is set to purge erring contractors just as it threatens to review the Ayetoro land reclamation and shore protection contract in Ondo State.

    Managing Director of the Commission, Dr. Christian Oboh who stated this when he led a team of NDDC Board members on an inspection tour of Ondo, Edo and Delta States, said the moves have become imperative in view of the attitude of some contractors.

    Represented by Ondo State Representative on the board, Omogbein Oladele, Dr. Oboh lamented that the project conceived to save communities in the area threatened by high waves from the ocean was being treated with levity.

    He assured the people of Ayetoro and other beneficiaries of NDDC projects that the commission was determined to complete ongoing projects in line with the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.

    “The commission is now paying contractors as soon as they achieved specified milestones’, we have also placed some key projects on fast-track to ensure that they are completed in the shortest possible time” he said.

    According to the Managing Director “cases of agitations would be reduced when numerous projects being executed by the commission were completed and handed over”.

    He, therefore, charged contractors working for the NDDC to buckle up as “the board will not entertain excuses for non performance”.

    The inspection team visited the Obozogbe-Abudu 24km road in Edo State which they described as not only commendable but a testimony of commitment on the part of some local contractors.

    The team also expressed satisfaction with the pace of work on the Ugheli multi billion Naira flood control project as well as the university hostel projects at Abraka.

  • FEC okays 44 projects for oil states

    FEC okays 44 projects for oil states

    FORTY-FOUR projects are to be implemented in the nine oil producing states by the Federal Government, Information Minister Labaran Maku announced yesterday.

    He said the projects approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at its weekly meeting yesterday, would be on the development of infrastructure.

    Speaking after the meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House, the minister listed the states as: Cross River, Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Imo, Abia and Ondo.

    Maku said that Council gave the approval following a memoranda presented by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) on phased development of the oil bearing states.

    He said: “These infrastructural projects cut across road construction, construction of bridges, environmental projects and a number of projects across the states of the Niger Delta, including Abia, Imo and Ondo, which are also oil producing states.

    “The Executive Council took a look at the proposal; and we believe that approving these projects will accelerate the infrastructure development of the Niger Delta region as well as other states that have always suffer degradation as a result of oil mining.’’

    Maku, who was silent on the projects’ cost implication, said they would be funded exclusively from the funds that accrue to the region through NDDC.

    He said the approval would enable the Commission to expedite action on the implementation of the projects during the dry season.

    The Council also approved N13.3 billion contract for the provision of second phase of primary engineering infrastructure ar Mbora District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    The Minister of State for the FCT, Mrs Olajumoke Akinjide, said the contract involved the provision of arterial and collector roads, telecommunications, power supply, drainage works, among others.

    She said the project, to be funded from the statutory budget of the FCT, would encourage plot owners to take physical possession of their property.

    Akinjide said that the development of Mbora District, which is part of the third phase of FCT development, would help in decongesting the city centre.

    Also approved was the inclusion of military retirees and their immediate families in the National Health Insurance Scheme’s (NHIS) benefit package.

    The Federal Government approved N3.6 billion in the first year for the Defence health maintenance organisation.

    Yesterday’s approval followed the recommendation of the technical sub-committee set up by Ministry of Finance and Health to include the military retirees to boost officers’morale.

    The scheme was initiated in 2001by the administration of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

    The committee had argued that the non-inclusion of retirees in the NHIS would negatively affect the moral and dampen the enthusiasm of those still in service with adverse security implications for the country.