By Dapo Akinrefon

A civil society coalition for the Niger Delta, the United Niger Delta Energy Development Security Strategy, UNDEDSS, on Thursday, expressed worry over what it described as undue interference in the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, adding that the Niger Delta cannot breathe because of the National Assembly’s stranglehold on the commission.

In a media briefing after an emergency webinar of UNDEDSS anchored in the creeks of the Niger Delta, on Thursday, UNDEDSS accused the National Assembly of undue interference in the region.

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UNDEDSS Secretary-General, Mr. Tony Uranta, said: “Let us remind the NASS that UNDEDSS is not an internet one-man body, and that our capacity for action should not be tested.

“The NASS leadership must stop hoodwinking Nigerians with their revision of history. For example, the Niger Delta Ministry was given supervisory powers over the NDDC in 2016, following talks between UNDEDSS and the Federal Government.

“At the talks, the Presidency was ably represented by a team led by the late Chief of Staff to Mr. President, Mallam Abba Kyari, and the former DG DSS, Mallam Lawal Daura; while Pastor Usani Uguru Usani was Minister of the Niger Delta.

“It was under Usani that the Presidency wrote to place the NDDC under the Ministry.

“To lie that the current Minister of the Niger Delta in any way made the President to put the NDDC under supervision by the Ministry is, as shown above, a lie from the pit of hell.

“All the new Chief of Staff, erudite Professor Ibrahim Gambari needs to do is check the records, and consult with Messrs Malami, Usani and Daura, who are still very alive.”

Also, Mr. Uranta stated that the National Assembly has, for years, had knees on the throat and chest of the Niger Delta, thus choking the region while enabling some members of both chambers to enrich themselves and impoverish the region for years.

His words: “Even the Presidency’s decision to deliver palliatives to the region has attracted the hyenas.

“If this hostile interference is allowed to impede Buhari’s singular act of decisiveness concerning the Niger Delta in the face of non-delivery of remediation in the region (not even in Ogoniland as promised by President Buhari), non-relocation of the shipbuilding dry dock, originally slated for the region (which is still lying idle in Lagos waters), the Federal Government must hold the NASS leadership responsible should there be unrest in the creeks.

“Of course, UNDEDSS is not saying anyone individual or management team is angelic.

“What we are against is this attempt by people we know to be corruptly impoverishing the Niger Delta to derail the very welcome forensic audit and COVID-19 palliatives ordered by President Buhari himself.

“NASS, we cannot breathe, remove the stranglehold on the Niger Delta or else….”

Vanguard