Those who loot resources meant for the benefit of the poor masses, are a disgrace — Lawan

Senate President Ahmad Lawan, during Thursday's plenary, lamented that those appointed to manage the resources of the NDDC over the years, shamelessly turn the NDDC into an Automated Teller Machine (ATM), leaving the region poor and in a very difficult situation.

He said, “Almost all throughout this period, those that he really been given the responsibility to manage the resources of the NDDC and for the people of the Niger Delta have squandered the resources leaving the region poor and in a very difficult situation.


“It is our opinion in the National Assembly, particularly in the 9th Senate that this report has exposed the inefficiencies, the kind of corruption in the NDDC and in fact, the need to strengthen that organization.

“I want to agree completely that we should look at the Act establishing the Commission. Where are the lacunas or the inadequacies? We are on the same page on this that the outcome of the investigation by the National Assembly, from both chambers, will be considered by the executive arm of government in order to bring sanity in the NDDC and relief to people of the Niger Delta.”

The Senate also in a resolution following its consideration and adoption of the recommendations of its “Ad hoc Committee on the investigation of the alleged financial recklessness in the NDDC,” called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the Professor Kemebradikumo Pondei-led Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) over alleged financial recklessness.



The Senate also recommended that the NDDC should be returned to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) for proper supervision.

The agency which was formerly supervised by the SGF is now being oversighted by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, under Senator Godswill Akpabio, following recent directives by the presidency.

The Chairman of the Ad hoc Committee, Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi (Ekiti North), while presenting the report, said “the Committee noted that it is difficult to find a correlation between Niger Delta community development and cash invested in the zone.


“Continued cash injection in the Niger Delta challenge issue has not worked under the various IMCs.

“It may be useful at this juncture for the Government to intervene by stepping down the EIMC (Executive Interim Management Committee), thereby helping them leave the stage for a properly constituted board with specific mandate to address the pains of the Niger Delta people.”