NDDC ADVISORY COUNCIL MOVES TO TACKLE COMMISION’S CHALLENGES *SEEKS AVENUE TO CHECK DEFAULTING OIL MAJORS

The Advisory Council of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) consisting of the nine Niger Delta state governors has met with a resolve to urgently address some of the challenges facing the Commission.

The governor of Ondo state, Olusegun Mimiko, who briefed the press on behalf of other governors, shortly after the meeting which lasted into the early hours of Sunday, September 28, 2014 at the New Government House in Asaba, said that the meeting has given room for the NDDC to give an insight on their programmes and budgetary update.

According to him, emphasis was also placed on the burning challenges facing the Commission.

He noted that the Advisory Council is looking at the updates to leverage on some of the outstanding problems among other challenges, including that of defaulting oil majors who have reneged in meeting up with their obligations to the Commission.

“We are ready to see how we can assist in resolving some of these challenges and how we can leverage on some of the outstanding ones”, Mimiko stated.

Mimiko added that the Advisory body has also encouraged the NDDC Board to place emphasis on major issues and essentially on projections that will create jobs for the people of the Niger Delta region and looking beyond oil since it is a known fact that oil is a wasting asset.

He further explained that the Advisory Council has seized the opportunity to ensure that the NDDC actually put on ground projects that would ensure sustainable economy for the region.

The Chairman of the Board, Mr. Dan Bassey Abia in an interview said that the meeting has provided an opportunity to resolve the problems facing the commission stressing that “we have started a new NDDC, things are getting better”

Besides Mimiko, others in attendance are Theodore Orji of Abia, Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa, Liyel Imoke of Cross Rivers, the host Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan and the Secretary to the Imo State Government who represented the Governor, Owele Rochas Okorocha.

Also in attendance are members of the Board and management of the NDDC.

Members of the Advisory Council of the NDDC are drawn from the nine states of the Niger Delta region which include Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Ondo, Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Imo while the Executive Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan is Chairman of the Advisory Council of NDDC.