By JIMITOTA ONOYUME

PORT HARCOURT — THE Federal Government has been urged to ensure the survival of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, through effective funding of the agency.

Former Acting Managing Director of the commission, Pastor Power Aginighan,  in a statement, said it was sad to observe that the commission was already being underfunded.

Noting that the federal government was owing the commission about N600 billion, he urged the government to release the funds to enable the agency meet its obligations to the Niger Delta.

Aginighan, who was also Executive Director, Finance and Administration, of the commission, said the region would not forgive President Goodluck Jonathan and those who had also served as presidents of the country since 2001 if the commission failed to address issues of underdevelopment in the region.

He added that the Niger Delta would also not tolerate any excuse from members of the National Assembly from the region if they failed to cry out for the release of funds owed the commission.

He enjoined President Jonathan to make budgetary provisions in 2014 to clear the backlog owed the commission.

“Now that the 2014 Appropriation Bill is to be presented by the President, I demand that both President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Assembly put a halt to this unjustifiable underdevelopment of the Niger Delta region by ensuring that the NDDC receives the total backlog of the underfunding by the Federal Government.  This is an obligation of the Federal Government to the people of the Niger Delta. It is not a favour sought by them for which they should be begging endlessly,“ he said.