By Festus Ahon
UGHELLI—AS part of its efforts to put an end to duplication of projects in the Niger Delta by local governments, states, federal government and interventionist agencies, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has presented a development master plan of the region to the governor of Edo state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
Chairman of the NDDC, Pastor P. Z. Aginighan, made the presentation when he led the commission’s board to Edo State Government House.

He said: “The NDDC as a commission is pleased with your strides in developing the state by giving free education to primary and secondary school students in the state because Benin City was already fading out until you assumed office to correct the ills and revive it and you also brought transparency to governance in the state.

“There is no area of development the NDDC, as an interventionist agency, does not occupy. The president of Nigeria saw that there was wasteful duplication of projects and hence the NDDC facilitated the development plan of the Niger Delta because NDDC was produced as a source of development of the region.”

Pastor Aginighan pointed out that the development plan was designed to meet 15 years development hope with three stages of completion.

He added that there were 236 NDDC projects in Edo state, out of which 44 have been completed and commissioned and 196 are still ongoing. He called on the governor to meet his colleagues in the Niger Delta to revive the Niger Delta Advisory Council which is mainly made up of governors and top members of NDDC.

Aghinighan revealed that the NDDC does not owe any contractor.

He urged all contractors handling NDDC projects to go back to site or face the other side of the board.

Governor Adams Oshomole, who was apparently carried away by Pastor Aginighan eloquent speech, in his response, promised to meet with his colleagues to revive the Niger Delta Advisory Council so that some issues affecting the area could be properly harnessed.

He urged the NDDC board to focus on people-oriented projects by opening up rural communities in the area.