George Imafidon
Recently, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) issued a Press Statement demanding the immediate sack of NDDC’s Interim Management Committee (IMC), claiming among other things that the Committee has outlived its usefulness and does not have anything new to add to the development of the Niger Delta region.
IYC’s claims are untrue, ludicrous and mischievous. It is important to note that many persons and groups similar to IYC have unsuccessfully filed lawsuits against the IMC. So, there is nothing that the Council can say or do to prematurely stop the IMC which, since put in place,, has been and will remain useful until a new substantive board is inaugurated.
By the way, and before IYC members and cohorts begin to gloat, I want to quickly remind everyone that the recent Federal High Court ruling related to the IMC is neither a sack notice nor even a temporary restraining order.. Nigerians should carefully read through the ruling.
Throughout NDDC’s 20 years of dysfunction and deep rot, IYC notoriously indulged and benefited from graft, providing cover and other supports to some of its members who either worked in the Commission or were fraudulent contractors with the Commission.
Current members of the IMC, although imperfect as everyone else, have not only performed their duties beyond expectations, they have resiliently fought fierce battles against pervasive corruption inherited from predecessors, against persons and interest groups in high political places and against crooked groups like IYC.
Because of the IMC, NDDC is now better positioned to implement President Buhari’s Niger Delta agenda. The ongoing forensic audit is stomping ahead, reviewing thousands of contracts awarded by previous management teams and uncovering decades old deep corrupt activities from which many IYC leaders and members have aggrandized. So, it is preposterous for IYC to demand that the IMC be sacked.
Let us be clear about the fact that only a faction of the IYC and a few similarly crooked groups have not been happy since the setting up of IMC. Their members, together with some compromised Niger Deltans, comprise a disruptive and racketeering group of corrupt beneficiaries who, for as long as NDDC has existed, have been feeding fat on the Commission. They bully, threaten mayhem, abuse opportunities and manipulate the system for political and Pecuniary advantages.
Against all odds, the IMC has effectively discharged its responsibilities to the people of Niger Delta region. For example, some outstanding debts to contractors and vendors have been paid and the long abandoned NDDC headquarters building is about completed and ready for commissioning despite corrupt powers-that-be, who deliberately sit on NDDC budgets.
Also, major contractors have been remobilized to complete abandoned sections of the East West Road. Yet, compromised Niger Delta elders of the PANDEF stock and factional leaders of crooked groups like the IYC refuse to see and appreciate.
Every decent and reasonable Niger Deltan supports both the IMC and the ongoing forensic audit of past NDDC projects. The good people of Niger Delta see President Buhari, Senator Godswill Akpabio and members of the IMC as comprising a credible, focused and purpose driven team working to bring about sustainable development in their region.
Almost every doubting Thomas was converted when the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, testified at a public hearing organized by the House Committee on Niger Delta. Today, most Nigerians are convinced that President Buhari, Senator Akpabio and the IMC members are being unfairly targeted by corrupt politicians, a section of the media and by crooked groups like IYC.
For the first time in NDDC’s history, its management team members have demonstrated responsiveness with regards to developmental needs of the Niger Delta people. The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, which supervises the NDDC, diligently ensures that IMC members do not stray. The supervising Minister, Godswill Akpabio, is known for pragmatism in setting and managing goals unto uncommon results. He does not spare efforts with regards to correcting or removing sore thumbs.
It is delusional and mischievous for IYC or anyone else to claim that the forensic audit of NDDC projects is not currently going on across the region. Also, it is of no use for anyone to pester President Buhari, thinking that he will buckle under much pressure to stop the forensic audit and inaugurate a new substantive board before its time.
The IMC was not illegitimately set up as claimed by IYC. President Buhari duly exercised his inherent constitutional power to set up the Committee. Additionally, the Interpretation Act 2004 gives him power to appoint persons in acting capacities. If he can make substantive appointments, he can as well make acting capacity appointments.
President Buhari gave good reasons for setting up the IMC, some of which include the sanitization and recommendation of new management approaches for a more efficient NDDC. Reasonable Nigerians agree that with such a recommendation, the soon coming substantive board will be better positioned, equipped and ready to successfully run the Commission and implement a good regional development plan.
IYC, in its mischievous and desperate bid to scuttle the ongoing forensic audit, has selectively forgotten that policy implementation methods vary from one government to another.
That former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, once ordered a forensic audit of NNPC account and activities without replacing the Corporations substantive board is neither a rigid template nor an abiding principle by which current and future forensic audit exercises must be conducted in Nigeria. Apparently, IYC does not think deep before expressing warped and pedestrian viewpoints.
Depending on who is listening, it can be argued that successive Nigerian governments have not demonstrated sufficient concern for the Niger Delta region. But, same can be argued with respect to other regions in the country.
However, policy experts readily agree that President Buhari has the best Niger Delta policy so far. If substantially implemented, it will register as the most progressive and effective for the region.
IYC and similar crooked groups, together with compromised Niger Delta elders, may feign ignorance of the truth, but majority of Niger Deltans know that many good things are in line to happen because of President Buhari’s Niger Delta policy, which is carefully designed to improve quality of life indices in the region through modest infrastructure building, facilitation of industrial clusters and many utilitarian initiatives.
That IYC has never been comfortable with the IMC is not in doubt. After all, its source of corrupt enrichment through shady contract awards has been foreclosed. Also, the group’s zero sum game for a substantive NDDC board saturated its choice men and women will fail.
IYC’s threat to occupy the NDDC is nothing but another crap thrown to see if it will stick on the wall. Of course, IYC’s bluff will be called. The factions devastated Council has lost clout and relevance in the region.
IYC and other crooked groups know that the current IMC’s tour of duties will end in December 2020. Daily during the month, the media will be flooded with all kinds of propaganda, tantrums, threats, confusion and subversion tactics thrown around by some Niger Delta lawmakers, IYC and other crooked groups. Pay no attention to them!
As expected of those who have been corruptly enriched for two decades through NDDC, the thought of retaining some members of the IMC in the upcoming substantive board and management team, to them, is unacceptable and horrifying. Nigerians know that the crooks have no particular interest in regional development, but in placing some cronies in the soon coming NDDC board and top management team.
I give much credit to President Buhari, Senator Akpabio and members of the IMC for doing an extraordinary great job until NDDC gets a new substantive board and management team.
Imafidon, writes from Benin City
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