The Senator representing Akwa Ibom North-West (Ikot Ekpene) Senatorial District, Senator Chris Ekpenyong, has advised the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio to avoid unnecessary distractions and use his tenure to address the challenges confronting the Niger Delta region.

Speaking in an interview during the weekend in Uyo, Senator Ekpenyong also urged Akpabio to take advantage of the forensic auditing of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari to purge the Commission of all issues hindering it from actualizing its core mandate since it was established in 2000.

Ekpenyong said this is the time for the Minister to walk the talk so that the tag of uncommon transformer that he is known for would be effectively cemented.

He recalled that prominent Niger Delta leaders and stakeholders fought for the 13% Oil Derivation principle and the creation of the NDDC for the overall development of the Niger Delta.

“The NDDC has no development template and the challenge facing him now is to make the NDDC functional in order to achieve set goals including fixing critical regional infrastructure such as the East-West road, Ikot Ekpene-Calabar-Itu-Odukpani road, Ikot Ekpene-Aba road, Ikot Ekpene-Ariam-Umuahia Road, Abak-Ikot Abasi road, Ekparakwa-Iwukem road and others scattered across the region.

“Effective galvanization of such regional development master plan will enhance economic integration as envisioned by Niger Delta leaders including former governors Victor Attah (Akwa Ibom), Peter Odili (Rivers); the late Alamiyeseigha (Bayelsa) and James Ibori (Delta)”, he noted 

Vanguard