By Akpenvwoghene Martins
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has been in the news lately for alleged mismanagement of funds and contract splitting, from parliamentary hearings to media reports where the immediate past Managing Director of the interventionist agency, Ms Joy Anunieh has also accused the Minister of the Niger Delta, Sen. Godswill Akpabio of graft and intimidation.
The NDDC immediately released a breakdown of the spending to the media in a surprising act of transparency for the agency, according to their press release they had spent billions on the procurement of Health care equipments, infrastructure development, legal fees and other critical interventions.
This media charade is just a smokescreen for an entirely different power play, there is a clash of egos among Niger Delta politicians currently and they are all jostling for the control of not just the oil rich region but the Niger Delta Development Commission.
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The current barrage of media reports and investigations is not a coincidence, the Deputy Senate President, Chief Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege is allegedly making a play to lead the Niger Delta and position himself ahead of other politicians for 2023. Senator Ovie-Agege is also allegedly trying to wrestle power away from Sen. Godswill Akpabio by forcing his own appointments through in the Commission.
According to NDDC insiders, Sen. Omo Agege seems to be enjoying support from politicians in a certain region as alleged by the sort of contractors that he is parading to get some of the juicy contracts.
While we must stay vigilant and follow this investigation till the end to make sure that the Akpabio led ministry isn’t colluding with the NDDC to siphon away our common wealth, we must also wake up to the political reality of the situation, so that we do not become pawns in a vicious power grab.
- Akpenvwoghene Martins is a Public Affairs Analyst
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