The Leadership of the Ijaw Youth Council FCT/Northern Region has vowed to occupy the Federal Secretariat Complex from Wednesday 23rd March 2023 until further notice if the Federal Government fails to inaugurate the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is not inaugurated within the shortest period possible.
This position was presented in a communiqué issued by the Leadership of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Abuja Chapter/Northern Region on Tuesday 22nd March 2022 in Abuja.
In a communiqué issued following a stakeholders emergency meeting which held on Sunday 20th March 2022 was attended by critical stakeholders including the Niger Delta Ex-Agitators Forum led by HRH Dr Selky Kile Torughedi (Young Shall Grow), represented by his Secretary Emomotimi Zepribo Pius (Esq).
The stakeholders meeting was conveyed by the Leadership of IYC in order to address what they described as the prolonged “Non-Constitution of the NDDC Board” by the Honorable Minister, Ministry for Niger Delta Affairs, HE Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The communiqué signed by the Secretary of IYC Abuja Chapter/North Nigeria Comrade Comr. Churchill O. Amiekumo, called the attention of the Federal Government to fact that ” NDDC is now 22 years since the establishment of the commission from year 2000 to 2022 without having proper Infrastructural developmental to show for the resources Being accrued to the Commission.”.
They stressed that “This negative report ignites His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari, in January 2019, to order for a forensic audit into the operations of NDDC from 2001 to 2019. As a council, we all supported the Forensic audit ordered by Mr. President and we all waited to see the good outcome of the forensic audit to ascertain those who were behind the under development of the Niger Delta region.”
Following these, they came up with the following demands;
- The Hon. Minister should tell Nigerians and most importantly Niger Deltans whom he is “serving” as a Minister and also expose those indicted in the forensic audit report.
- The Minister should tell us Which State and Local Government they are from
The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should make the report public for onward persecution. - The NDDC Board should be inaugurated within a short possible time
- We demand for the comprehensive list of the Training and Empowerment delegates carried out by the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs from 2015 to 2022, to ascertain the identity of the people selected for the said training.
- We ask to know the beneficiaries’ states, Local government Areas and Communities in the Niger Delta States.”
As at the time of filing in this report, efforts to reach the office of the Honorable Minister for Niger Delta Affairs did not yield any results.
Full Communiqué as received;
COMMUNIQUE REACHED AFTER A STAKEHOLDERS MEETING ON THE 20TH OF MARCH 2022 BY THE IJAW YOUTH COUNCIL ABUJA CHAPTER/NORTHERN NIGERIA IN ATTENDANCE IS THE NIGER DELTA AGITATORS LEADERSHIP FORUM CHAIRMAN HRH DR. SELKY KILE TORUGHEDI AKA GEN. YOUNG SHALL GROW OVER THE NON-CONSTITUTION OF THE NDDC BOARD.
The 4th leadership of the Ijaw Youth Council Abuja Chapter cum Northern Nigeria organised our first emergency stakeholders meeting of the year in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja Nigeria on the 20th of March 2022 over the lingering issues of NON-CONSTITUTING of NDDC Board by the Minister Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs HE. Sen. Godswill Akpabio and the deliberate exclusion of Ijaws in the just concluded training and empowerment programme organized by his ministry under the supervision of the Minister for State, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.
It would be recalled that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), is a federal government Interventionist agency established on the 5th of June, year 2000, with the sole aim of developing the oil-rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria. In September 2008, the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs was constituted by the Late former President of Nigeria Musa Yar’Adua to complement the fast development of Niger Delta through human capacity building and other developmental projects that would help reduce the destruction of oil facilities in the Niger Delta
It behoves us the entire leadership why the Ijaws who are the Largest ethnic group in the Niger Delta are arrogantly left out in this training and empowerment programme organized by the ministry, over the years thousands have been trained fraudulently in the guise of being Niger Deltans while they are not. The Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs has its programmes different from the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC.
The core mandate of NDDC is to train and educate the youths of the Niger Delta Region to curb hostility and pipeline vandalisation while developing key infrastructure to promote diversification and productivity.
Formulation of policies and guidelines for the development of the area. Conception, planning and implementation, in accordance with set rules and regulations, of projects and programs for sustainable development of the people in the field of transportation including roads, jetties and waterways, health, employment, industrialization, agriculture and fishery, housing and urban development, water supply, electricity and telecommunications.
In Surveying the Region to ascertain measures necessary to promote its physical and socio-economic development. Preparing master plans and schemes designed to promote the physical development of the Region and the estimation of the member states of the commission. NDDC is now 22 years since the establishment of the commission from year 2000 to 2022 without having proper Infrastructural developmental to show for the resources Being accrued to the Commission.
This negative report ignites His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari, in January 2019, to order for a forensic audit into the operations of NDDC from 2001 to 2019. As a council, we all supported the Forensic audit ordered by Mr. President and we all waited to see the good outcome of the forensic audit to ascertain those who were behind the under development of the Niger Delta region.
December 12, 2020, Mr. Effiong Akwa Okon, who served as the acting executive director, Finance and Administration of the Commission, was appointed as the interim administrator. We kicked against the Interim Administrator appointment and carry out a peaceful protest on the 21st of December 2020, at the Office of the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs as regards the constitution of the NDDC Board.
However, on the 2nd of September 2021, the final report of the forensic audit from Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, was received by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari. The documents, were conveyed in sack bags and presented by the Honorable Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Godswill Akpabio.
It was disclosed that the forensic audit covered a total of 13,777 contracts which were awarded from 2001 to 2019 at a final contract value about N3 trillion. Responding after he received the report, the AGF, noted that the Federal Government approved N6 trillion for the NDDC in 18 years. The NDDC operated a total of 362 bank accounts, leading to “lack of proper reconciliation of accounts”. Consequently, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the engagement of a Lead Forensic Auditor, as well as 16 reputable Audit Firms to conduct the audit exercise.
It is evidence-based that a lot of resources have been channeled by the Federal Government to developing the Niger Delta from 2001 to 2019. “It is therefore important for the people to be aware of how our collective wealth is being spent. “The essence of the forensic audit is to ensure probity and accountability in the use of funds accrued to the Commission. Hence, Niger Deltans are still awaiting the finishing phase of the investigation as regards the action plan by the presidency.
After due deliberation on the pressing issues by the National Leadership of Niger Delta Agitators Leadership Forum headed by HRH Dr. Selky Kile Torughedi AKA Gen. Young Shall Grow represented His Secretary Barr. Emomotimi Ziprebo Pius and the leadership of Ijaw Youth Council Abuja Chapter/Northern Nigeria headed by Chief Diplomat Adam Ebimobowei Ogomugo Marbo the critical stakeholders meeting resolved as follows;
The Hon. Minister should tell Nigerians and most importantly Niger Deltans whom he is “serving” as a Minister those indicted in the forensic audit report.
The Minister should tell us Which State and Local Government they are from
The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should make the report public for onward persecution
The NDDC Board should be inaugurated within a short possible time
we demand for the comprehensive list of the Training and Empowerment delegates carried out by the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs from 2015 to 2022, to ascertain the identity of the people selected for the said training.
We ask to know the beneficiaries’ states, Local government Areas and Communities in the Niger Delta States.
We shall occupy the Federal Secretariat where the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs is housed until a Board for NDDC is being inaugurated from the 23rd of March 2022.
Sign,
Comr. Churchill O. Amiekumo
Secretary
Ijaw Youth Council Abuja Chapter/Northern Nigeria
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