The South-South Governors Forum on Thursday declared
wholehearted support for a forensic audit of Niger Delta Development Commission
(NDDC) ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari.
It deplored, with great concern, the crisis rocking the
commission and said that it was convinced and expecting that the audit would
serve to put the NDDC on a sound corporate governance footing and reposition it
to better deliver on its mandate.
In a statement by Chairman of the Forum and Governor of
Delta, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, the governors also gave full backing to the
ongoing investigation of the commission by the Senate.
According to it, we believe the Senate is operating within
its oversight functions through the ad hoc committee set up for that purpose.
``It behooves us to respect the Senate oversight function and
allow it to discharge this responsibility in a fair, transparent and equitable
manner.
``The South-South Governors are desirous to see an NDDC that
is fully alive and responsive to its mandate of accelerating infrastructural
development of the Niger Delta region and enhancing the general living
conditions of our people. Hence, we will not hesitate to give our unqualified
support for any policy initiative that will make this a reality.
``The Forum wishes to advise the combatants in the current
crisis in the NDDC to refrain from utterances and actions that will breach the
peace and security of the region,’’ the forum stated.
It vehemently condemned the attempted abduction of Ms. Joi
Nunieh, the immediate past Acting Managing Director of the Commission, in the
early hours of Thursday, saying it was unwarranted, unnecessary and uncalled
for.
The forum called on relevant security authorities to
investigate the unfortunate development, but said, ``let it be on record that
we are neither in support of nor against Ms. Nunieh in the current cloud of the controversy surrounding the NDDC. ``However, as responsible public servants and
leaders in the Niger Delta, we are mindful of the implications her attempted
abduction could have on the peace and security of the region, which the current
administration has laboured to sustain in the last five years.
``We do not want that to be truncated as it can have adverse
consequences on the national economy.
``We urge the feuding parties in the NDDC to conduct
themselves in a civil, orderly and lawful manner for the good of the region and
the progress of the country.
``Democracy is about the rule of law; we have the courts and
the various democratic institutions to deal with any grievances people may have
without resorting to underhanded tactics and methods to intimidate and hound
others.
``Finally, we wish to reiterate our stand that both the
forensic audit and the Senate investigation should continue and be concluded
with dispatch so that the NDDC can quickly return to its role of advancing and
protecting the developmental aspirations of our people.’’
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