State govt, NGOs, citizens pick holes in commission’s catalogue
PDP/APC politicians in war of words over ghost, abandoned projects
A’Ibom govt exacerbating matters — Commission

By Chioma Onuegbu

UYO —THE up-to-the-minute claim by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to have successfully completed numerous projects across communities in Akwa Ibom State, some of which the state government, nongovernmental organizations and citizens later discovered to be phantom, shoddy and abandoned ventures, has ignited controversy in the state.

Governor Emmanuel Udom& Senator Victor Ndoma Egba, NDDC, Chairman

The fury over the finding and consequent backlash has created unsavoury conflict between the People’s Democratic Party, PDP and All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state. Citizens and pressure groups in the state were the first to raise alarm when the NDDC recently published in some national dailies and local tabloids a list of various projects it executed in the state, describing some of the claims as deceptive.

State govt counters commission

Commissioner for Works, Mr. Ephraim Inyang-Eyen, also expressed concern that some projects, especially roads, executed by the state government, were listed among the projects executed by the interventionist agency.

The state government had observed that some projects, which the Commission stated in the publication as having been completed were actually abandoned, forcing it to issue a counter statement to set records straight regarding the state and NDDC projects.

In the testimonial, the state government listed some of the projects abandoned by the Commission in the state to include 600 meters Nnung Ukim road in Ikono Local Government Area, Ukpana-Akpabom-Ikwe road in Onna, an embankment by one of the bridges in Eket-Ibeno – Ikot Akpatek road, a bridge abandoned by the NDDC at Onna and a female hostel at University of Uyo permanent site to mention a few.

Among completed projects cited by the state government, which NDDC claimed as its projects were the Idiaba Nda Nsit-Nnung Udoe road linking Nsit Atai, Ibesikpo Local Government, awarded to COSSEL Nigeria Limited due for commissioning, May 28; 14 kilometre Ikpe Ikot Nkon- Obotme-Arochukwu road was awarded to Peculiar Construction Company by Akwa Ibom State Government in 2016. Others are Mkpok- Okat road executed in Onna by Governor Udom Emmanuel, which is number 65 on NDDC list.

Citizens spit fire: Some citizens of the state under the aegis of Akwa Ibom Integrity Group, in a statement corroborating the state government’s observations on the evaluation report by the Commission, published a comprehensive list of over 300 projects allegedly forsaken by NDDC at different communities in the state in national and local tabloids. According to the group, led by Chief Okon Jim, the Commission abandoned a total of 121 rural roads, 75 classroom blocks, 69 rural water schemes, 43 mini-electrification projects among others.

Renewed anger: Another issue that also provoked angry reactions was a recent publication by the commission calling for tenders from contractors, who wish to bid for fresh projects. It was gathered the announcement of fresh contracts was what triggered the wave of defections from the PDP to APC in the state. A source alleged that contracts might have been dangled as inducement to lure the defectors, a development that activated acrimony among PDP and APC faithful, with the former querying if the projects were meant to develop the region or for politics.

Although, the NDDC chose not to be confrontational in responding to the several allegations and comments on the social media, APC loyalists viewed the state government’s publication as a deliberate attempt to ridicule the commission.

Accusation, counter-accusation: The situation seemed to have resurrected the unwholesome rivalry between the two leading parties in the state, resulting in accusations and counter-accusations, the blame game and political propaganda. APC supporters even accused the PDP of being responsible for the abandoned projects in the state, arguing that those projects were awarded and abandoned under the PDP-led administration.

During a radio interview in the state, Director Commercial and Industrial Development, CID, Mr. Anietie Usen, said, “We are not averse to criticism but you know that most of those projects are handled by politicians, I do not want to mention political parties, but you know the party that was controlling NDDC for the past 18 years.”

NDDC blasts state govt

Dan Etokidem, Media Assistant to State Commissioner, NDDC, Samuel Frank, denounced the PDP- led-government in the state for disparaging the commission, saying: “Unfortunately, the current administration in the state is not helping itself, seeing the Nsima Ekere- led NDDC as a threat, instead of a development partner. No one cares who constructs or rehabilitates the roads so long as it ameliorates the sufferings of Akwa Ibom people.”

The commission was reportedly taken aback that the state government was calling for a probe of the said projects, the agency and affected contractors, knowing full well that all that happened in the past did so under a different management and board.

Commissioner clears air

It was also learned that even within the PDP, there was internal rage over the alleged call for probe of the projects and contractors, but in a swift reaction, Commissioner Inyang-Eyen, who refuted the insinuation on behalf of the state government, asserted: “Ordinarily, the unfounded and false report concocted by some propagandists that I had called for probe of the commission and her contractors, does not deserve to be dignified with a response.

“But there is the need to alert the unsuspecting public on the antics of these agents of blackmail and peddlers of falsity so as not to invest any modicum of credibility or attention to their mendacious trade. Therefore, I wish to set the records straight that there was no time that I called for a probe to uncover those behind the high rate of abandoned NDDC projects in the state, as that was not within my powers or job specification. The audio and visual of my reaction to the abandoned 600 metres Nnung Ukim road is available.

“My checks revealed that after awarding the said job to an indigenous contractor, no dime was paid by the NDDC to the contracting firm, which must have necessitated its abandonment. Let it be clear to all that my remarks during an on the-spot -assessment of a section of Nnung Ukim road in Ikono embarked upon by the Udom Emmanuel- led administration did not target any member of the PDP family or leaders of our party as being speculated by those who do not mean well for our party, but was targeted on people, who listed state government financed roads as NDDC projects,” he explained.

No competition with NDDC

Inyang-Eyen said it was despicable for anybody to hold that the state government was preventing the commission from undertaking the construction of the deplorable Abak -Ikot Abasi road, adding: “For the avoidance of doubts, the Abak – Ikot Abasi road is a federal government road and is listed under the Category of Trunk A.  As of today, the state government has not succeeded in getting approval for the downgrading of the road to enable it take over its construction, neither is the said road listed as a project in the current budget of the state government.”

His words: “It is, therefore, highly odious for anyone to imagine that the contract for the road project could have been awarded by the state without due process. Akwa Ibom state government is not in competition with the NDDC and has no reason to do so. We, therefore, enjoin the NDDC to go ahead and award contract for the road to a reputable firm and mobilize the contractor to site, rather than sponsor media hogwash against the state government.”

N’Delta minister intervenes

Not even the recent visit of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Uguru Usani, to the state, penultimate week, where he reassured that the abandoned projects would be looked into has been able to put an end to explosive arguments over the matter. Usani who was in the state for an on-the-spot assessment of some of the abandoned projects, faulted the evaluation done by the commission, which his ministry directly supervises.