BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME, P/Harcourt

The year 2011 was a challenging one for people of the Niger Delta region as executive members of the board of an interventionist agency, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC established by the Federal government solely to tackle challenges of underdevelopment in the region were locked in personality clash and power play.

Communities in the region suffered  neglect.   Protests by youths from various communities seeking the agency’s attention for their areas became a regular sight at the board of the Commission, causing untold hardship for motorists on the ever busy, Port Harcourt Aba express road.

Legislators in the National Assembly from the region made appeals to members of the board to sink their differences and pursue the common good of the region. Even governors of member states of the Commission made similar appeals but all seemingly fell on deaf ears.

President Goodluck Jonathan, the first to be made president of the country from the region could no longer tolerate the situation and  had to dissolve the board with Air Vice Marshal Larry Koinyan (rtd) as Chairman and Chibuzor Ughwoha as Managing Director.

The rumour on the streets after the dissolution  was that a foremost activist in the region, Isaac Osuoka aka Sankara was to be appointed Managing Director.   Like a bolt from the blues, Dr. Chris Oboh was announced as the new Managing Director.

It is not clear if the new Managing Director is a card carrying member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, but one thing most people recall in Rivers state where  he hails from,  is that he was the  Best Man to Governor Chibuike Amaechi on his wedding day several years ago. The rumor mill said the governor laboured for the emergence of his old time pal as the new MD.

In the meantime, the challenges before the new board are enormous. First the task of securing the confidence of the region and other stakeholders is also top on the list.

On his part, Governor Amaechi has enjoined the board to ensure it delivers on issues of development in the region. Amaechi who spoke when the team paid him a courtesy visit in Government House, Port Harcourt said the board should focus on its mandate of providing development to the region.

He reminded the board that the NDDC was interventionists agency set up to address challenges in the area, adding that generation would not forgive them if they fail.

“To an extent the question is being asked all over the country, that huge sums of money is budgeted yearly for the development of the Niger Delta through the Niger Delta Development Commission. What are on ground to show that those resources are properly expended?  They will want to know how we have been able to manage our resources.  They ask the questions, our children will ask, they won’t forgive us for not being able to manage,” he said.

“Let it be known and kept at the back of our minds that as we carry out our daily activities we must ask ourselves the question: why are our youths restive? Why is our economy in the way it is?  Why do we have crime in the volume we have now?”

“The simple answer is that the economy is not productive, and the economy can be productive if you provide necessary infrastructure.  So what the country has done is to say to you to you go back and provide the infrastructure,” the governor said.

Also the umbrella body of youths in the region, Niger Delta Youth Stakeholders Forum has handed the new board six months within which it should restore  the confidence of the region on the Commission to deliver developments.  Chairman of the group, Mr. Edisemi Yiki said the new board should immediately commence programme to assure stakeholders that it was out to achieve developments for the region.

The youth group further called on the Federal Government to release N500 billion owed the commission within three months.

Mr Yiki said they were set to embark on a massive protest in the region and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT if the government fails to release the funds at the end of the ultimatum.

According to him, it was lamentable that funds due an interventionist agency such as the NDDC could be withheld by the government.  Describing the action of the government as insensitive, he said it was a violation of section 14 (2) of the NDDC act 2000.

The Group also enjoined stakeholders to rally round the new board to succeed. According to Mr Yiki, the new board is not a continuation of the old board but a fresh team with a clear mandate.

“We use this medium to draw the attention of the critical stakeholders in the region to stand behind the new management of NDDC under the managing directorship of Dr Chris Uboh because this is a new board and should not be seen as a continuation of the old. The old board was entirely dissolved and a new team was set up so it is a new board.”

Meantime, the Chairman of the new board of the Commission, Dr. Tarilah Tebepah and the Managing Director, Dr Chris Oboh have assured that the board would deliver on its mandate.

Dr.Oboh in an act many saw as revealing, gave contractors marching orders to deliver on ongoing projects before March this year.  He said they should immediately move to site and forward their work plan before payment would be made.  The NDDC boss said the board will not tolerate any excuse for failure from contractors.

“If we receive your work plan between now and tomorrow, I will pay you your money. Once we pay you and the bank refuses to release the money to you, let us know and we will write to them You must play by the rules once you receive the money. Mobilise to site immediately. If you refuse to do that and deliver, you will face the law. For every project there must be a design. You must deliver before March”, he said.

Niger Deltans believe that the major task facing the new board is to deliver on developments. Once this is achieved, it will be celebrated by the region.