BY DAYO JOHNSON

AKURE – NO fewer than 50developmental projects across the oil- rich communities of Ondo State have either been abandoned or not executed after collection of mobilisation fees between 2002 and 2009.

This was part of the findings of a study carried out by the Niger Delta Professionals for Development (NIDPRODEV) and the European Union (EU) and made public in Akure.

The findings listed some traditional rulers, community leaders, prominent politicians and members of the National Assembly as some of the contractors who handled the failed projects for which funds have been released by the sponsoring authorities.

According to the Executive Director of Leadership Centre for Peace, Integrity and Transformation (LCPIT), Joel Bisina, the study was done at the instance of EU and carried out in the last quarter of 2010.
Bisina pointed out that the study covered 18 selected communities in the state with nine each from the two riverine councils of Ilaje and Ese-Odo.

He said the Niger Delta Citizens Report Card covered 120 communities from Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Imo and Abia states.

The development projects were meant to alleviate poverty in the oil-rich communities and they are in the areas of education, health and infrastructural provisions such as water and electricity.

Twenty nine of the projects were funded by the Ondo State Oil-Producing Areas Development Commission, 16 by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Ilaje Regional Development Council (IRDC).