PANDEF Calls On N/D People To Shun Negative Actions Against NDDC.

 

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has  called on the people of the Niger Delta Region to shun any  action that would undermine the smooth running of  Niger Delta Development Commission and all other ministries, departments and agencies of government with a direct bearing on the region.

This was as the group  called on the and  her  management to work in the best interest of the region in particular and the country as a whole.

Recall that NDDC was one of the agencies established in the Niger Delta Region to bring development to the highly underdeveloped area of the country.

PANDEF however   commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his timely nomination of members  of the Niger Delta Development Commission.

In a statement  on Tuesday and signed by the national publicity, Ken Robinson, the group thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for retaining the Managing Director and the executive irectors of the commission

The statement bread"It is therefore  quite gratifying that Mr. President has within his first one hundred days in office, reconstituted the Board and Management of the Niger Delta Development Commission.

"PANDEF is particularly pleased with the reappointment of Dr. Samuel Ogbuku as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the NDDC, in an acting capacity, pending the Senate's confirmation of Mr. President's nomination of the entire team. 

"PANDEF notes that this singular action of the President provides a glimmer of hope that, perhaps, President Bola Tinubu's administration would depart from the gross nonchalance of the immediate past administration and devote the much-needed attention and seriousness to issues of the Niger Delta Region.

"PANDEF further notes that the President also acted promptly in a similar manner by assigning a Minister to the Ministry of Niger Delta, after the denunciations from the region which greeted the initial non-assignment of a Minister to the all-important  ministry..

"This step is undoubtedly, taken to avoid the frequent disrupting changes in the management of the Commission witnessed in the recent past.

"PANDEF further observes that the management of the NDDC under Dr. Samuel Ogbuku has within the last few months, demonstrated the character, competence and drive required to reposition the commission to actualize the core mandate for which NDDC was established. 

"The wide consultations with a broad spectrum of critical stakeholders, strengthening of the Commission's budgetary process and collaborative engagements with development partners and donor agencies towards speedy development of the region have been highly commended by most of our people.

"PANDEF stresses that the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC remains the major vehicle to fast-track the development of the Niger Delta Region and therefore urges the Presidency, the incoming Board and management to stringently avoid the disturbing incidents in the past that provided avenues for critics and cynics to undervalue the vital imperative of the commission as a critical vessel for ensuring that the region remains the "golden egg" of the country.

"PANDEF restates that it remains strongly committed to the promotion of peace, unity and sustainable development  not only in the Niger Delta Region but in the entire Country.