The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Umana Okon Umana, has called for the immediate repair of the damaged section of the East-West Road to restore unhindered flow of vehicular and pedestrian movement in the area.
Umana gave the directive on Thursday, when he visited Ihuike community in Ahoada local government area of Rivers State to sympathize with the community over the devastating flood in the area.
The minister, who was in Rivers State on a working visit to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), said the federal government is aware of the disaster and pain being faced by the residents, and has put measures in place to ensure that succor is brought to them.
Umana, who also visited the head office of the NDDC said he is on a mission to change the widely held perception that the NDDC is a failed agency.
According to him, his administration will change the NDDC into an organisation pivotal to the development of the Niger Delta region.
“The perception is that NDDC has failed. There is also the perception about widespread, endemic corruption in the commission. True or false, I don’t think it is a good story that you go somewhere and you are introduced as a staff of NDDC and the first thing the person must be thinking about you is that this must be one of the corrupt ones.”
He charged everyone in the commission to act in a manner that will reinforce the new image of an upright organisation that respects due process while noting that the era of frivolous projects by which billions of naira were siphoned out of the commission was over.
Umana directed for a briefing on all cases of contracts that did not follow due process, and also called for a staff audit as earlier directed by the presidency, stressing that any attempt to undermine the conduct of the personnel audit would be sanctioned.
“Even for your children, it is not a good story. It is in your hands to change that perception. There is a total failure. It is that failure that makes it possible for one man to sit alone in this commission and issue awards letters without due process, of N200 billion, N300 billion, under the guise of emergency.
“This is clear cut impunity we cannot tolerate. Already we are talking of indebtedness of over N3 trillion and one man will still sit alone and issue letters of another N300 billion without following due processes? And this was during pendency of the forensic audit.
“The Acting MD is directed to give me full report, which should go to the President. This was without my knowledge, so I want a report; I want all of those contracts terminated immediately. No budget at the time those contracts were awarded.”
The minister maintained that the era of impunity was over, and urged all staff in the commission to discharge their duties professionally with quality service delivery that truly adds value to the people in the Niger Delta.
