By Goodluck Edafe

THE marriage of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to the Ministry of Niger Delta, MND, by the Federal Government few years ago has been a source of concern in the Niger Delta. The fear in different quarters has been that an NDDC management board tucked under a Minister of the Ministry of Niger Delta may not be productive and efficient in the delivery of its mandate to the people due to possible struggle for supremacy and occasional clash of interest. 

It’s entrenched in our political system for politicians to pursue narrow self-interest to the detriment of the general good and this might just be true of any privileged Minister of the MND. All things put together fuelled several calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to break the NDDC and MND marriage and return the NDDC back to the presidency. 

Sadly, the President has not given positive response to genuine concern of the people, thus resigning the NDDC to fate under the supervision of the MND, where the former Minister, Chief Godswill Akpabio, became not just a generalissimo – alpha and omega over the NDDC- but had the opportunity of appointing Chief Effiong Akwa as interim sole administrator for about two years. Today, it has been noted in history that an NDDC administered by Akpabio and Akwa was an NDDC nobody wishes to remember. 

It was an NDDC that commissioned a 12-storey administrative headquarters building in Port Harcourt with four malfunctioning lift carriers and naked electrical wires that are daily threatening the lives of workers and visitors at every floor of the building. A lady worker at the seventh floor who narrowly escaped an untimely funeral due to an electric shock has her story to tell. It was an NDDC of inactivity, idleness and debt accumulation. But thanks to Buhari for Emmanuel Audu-Ohwavborua’s recent appointment as acting Managing Director.

The NDDC, for many years, has been celebrated for service delivery. Unfortunately, that was not the case in the last few years, where the cries over unpaid bills rented the air everywhere. Workers were crying over unpaid allowances, contractors were crying over delayed IPC payment.

But most touchy and emotional in all this, was the cry of hired additional security men and women who for over 10 months were not paid salaries. These security men and women come to work every day, open the gate wide for the big men and stand at the door of their offices yet for about10 months running; it did not occur to the NDDC under Akwa to pay them salaries. It was a total loss of focus. 

And it’s shocking that since February 24, a Rivers State High Court pronounced a far less than N5 million judgement debt against the NDDC. And while it was reported that the NDDC even pleaded in court for an out of court settlement, and given its Establishment Act 2000; LSN 2004 CAP 86, Section (26) (2) which requires it to pay from the general reserve fund any sum of money that is awarded against it by the judgement of any court, the Plaintiff till today is among the subjugated multitude crying and lamenting over unpaid debts. 

Ironically, these are small monies which the NDDC should ordinarily pay to struggling peasants without a blink of an eye. For sure, it’s indeed an abuse of privilege on the part of the last interim administration to pay hundreds of millions of naira to selected interests but could not pay meager sums of money to innocent and suffering men and women who have served with humility and fear. Many petty bills like this have indeed made the appointment of Ohwavborua very significant to the people. Fortunately, Ohwavborua, a thorough-bred engineer with a sound moral outlook has proven his mettle. 

It’s not surprising therefore that in less than two months in office and the NDDC is already telling new stories. It’s the story of a recovery from the era of the holocausts. I mean the era where management greed, selfishness and cruelty were front seat drivers at the NDDC. 

It’s the story of Ohwavborua’s passion for service delivery. In less than two months and the people – both workers and small to medium scale contractors are already singing new songs of joy. Ohwavborua is returning NDDC to its originating mandate – empowerment through community development. And these have been the foundation of the outpour of praises and general excitement among the people.

The appointment of Ohwavborua epitomises putting square pegs in square holes. But, the story around him is beyond being a worker of many years at the NDDC. He remains the most viable and competent insider. He has the experience, tenacity and intellectual capacity to drive and reposition the Niger Delta outfit. That, he is proactive, has a good sense of judgement and all that it takes to effectively manage the commission on the interim has reflected in his good works in the last two months. 

He was Director, Project Monitoring and Supervision, PMS(the engine room of the NDDC), and for many years his office was in charge of evaluation and scrutiny of project bids for quality and standard. Before now, Ohwavborua has also been appointed Technical Adviser to the former Executive Director Project, Tuoyo, an engineer. He knows about the internal workings and nitty-gritty of the commission. Certainly, he is an organisational asset that any development minded management board cannot undermine or throw out of station. 

Ohwavborua’s appointment has brought new hopes and aspirations. It represents a recovery from the many years wasted in vanity. It represents fresh air. As it is, Ohwavborua’s story has reinforced the need to appoint passionsate and resourceful men and women into public offices and leadership positions in the country. Apparently, only the appointment of credible men and women can change the narrative and economic fortune of the people.