NDDC Board: Group Warns Niger Delta Leaders To Stop Further Attacks On Sen. Akpabio

Even as the world continues to combat the dreaded Corona-Virus pandemic, the Ijaw Stakeholders for Good Governance (ISGG) , has warned some serving Niger Delta leaders in the Presidency to desist from fighting the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio , saying they ‘are after the “resources” and “dubious contracts” in the Niger Delta Development Commission,NDDC.

The group said the Niger Delta leaders are allegedly responsible for the media attacks against Sen. Godswill Akpabio, stressing that,” They are the ones sponsoring falsehood and malicious publications against Sen. Godswill Akpabio.”

In a statement signed by Ebiye Coleman and Mr. Lazarus Anthony,President and Spokesman respectively, the group said

The group warned the Niger Delta leaders to desist from it in the interest of the region.

“They all have thier respective ministries and also those in the legislature, they want to interfere into the affairs of Akpabio’s ministry and sponsoring media attacks against Akpabio.”

While noting that Akpabio has never or attempted to influence happenings in their ministry or the legislature,the group said,”Sen. Akpabio should be allowed to serve the people of Niger Delta.

“from available information, Godswill Akpabio was never involved in the award of NDDC Headquarters contract to Rodnab Construction firm by NDDC.

“The said contract was approved by the Federal Executive Council on 21st December, 2017, and subsequently awarded by the management of NDDC led by it’s former MD, Nsima Ekere, and the site was handed over to Rodnab on 15th March,2018, which at that time Sen Godswill Akpabio was a Senate Minority Leader. So, it is totally wrong to accuse Akpabio over the Rodnap contract.

“All former management of NDDC abandoned the NDDC’s Headquarters project in Port-Harcourt,but in 2019, when Senator Godswill Akpabio was appointed Minister of Niger Delta, the President, Muhammadu Buhari drafted NDDC under Akpabio’s ministry,it was only then Akpabio found out that NDDC was paying huge rent for a temporary office, which was a complete waste of government funds.

“Being an uncommon transformer he decided and directed the commission to urgently complete the NDDC’s Headquarters project for commissioning by Mr. President in April, but the unfortunate broke out of the convid-19 pandemic has changed the plan temporarily”.

The group also frowned at the delibrate plot to blackmail NDDC’s Interim Management Committee and Godswill Akpabio.

According to the group, “The continued media attacks were being sponsored by vested interests to discredit Akpabio and Commission. This must stop, we should also support Akpabio’s Niger Delta Ministry and NDDC to deliver on the mandate to provide human and infrastructural development across the entire Niger Delta region.”