NDDC Owed Over N2tr – MD

By Oduyemi Odumade

The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr Sam Ogbuku, says the agency is being owed over N2 trillion naira.

Ogbuku said this when he appeared before the House of Representatives’ Committee on NDDC, chaired by Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu.

According to him, the sum is the accumulation of 15 percent of the allocation of the nine states that make up the region, which is due to the Commission since 2000 but has never been paid.

He also lamented that despite the passing of the 2021, 2022 and 2023 budgets of the Commission, they were yet to get the funds till date.

Ogbuku, who assumed office in Acting capacity in January this year, said that despite fast-tracking the three-year budget of the Commission, they were yet to receive the funds.

He also said due to the huge debt burden on the Commission, which was due to a malfunctioning of the system, they had to launch a public private partnership (PPP) arrangement in April this year, to fund projects in the NDDC.

Chairman of the NDDC Board, Chiedu Ebie, assured that they would maintain cordial relations with the committee and the National Assembly.

He also promised that they would work as a team to ensure that the narratives of the commission is changed for the better.

Chairman of the Committee, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, promised to look into the issues raised by the Commission, with a view to addressing them.

She said the committee will work with the Board to achieve the goal of changing the narratives of the Niger Delta and the Commission to improve the lives of the people of the region.

She said members of the committee were committed and ready to carry out their mandate effectively.

Edited By Grace Namiji