The lawmaker representing Jeremi Ward 3 (6), Ughelli south Legislative Arm, in Delta State, Hon. Mere Williams frawned at the Interim Management Committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission over alleged embezzlement of N81.5 billion fund belonging to the Commission, stressing that the ongoing probe by the National Assembly (NASS) would bring sanity to the Commission.
He maintained that the alleged poor management of funds accruing to the Commission by those appointed to head the it has been the major bane in the development of the region.
Hon. Mere, who was also the National President of Dominant Political Forum for Alhaji Atiku in the 2019 elections, called on President Muhammadu Buhari, to take uncompromising action against the gross misconduct and misappropriation bedevelling the Commission in line with his fight against corruption.
According to Hon. Mere, “the NDDC that we know today have nothing good to write about because it has failed in its primary duty despite the huge fund being allocated to it by the federal government.
“It is high time the President use his official power to take necessary decision rather than waiting till when problem will erupt in the region, the time to change the negative narrative of NDDC is now.”
The lawmaker used the medium to appeal to President Buhari to use his good office to reposition the Commission by splitting it into nine boards according to the States which comprises the Niger Delta region, with each state controlling the affairs of its board in order to speed the development of the Niger Delta.
Speaking further, Mere disclosed that there is tension in the Niger Delta region over the issue of appointment of another Coordinator to the Presidential Amnesty Programme that has lied in wait for so long.
He said, “Since inception of appointment into the office of the Special Adviser to the President/Coordinator of the presidential amnesty programme till date, no Deltan has been appointed into the office despite its great contribution to national interest, but other personalities including, Timi Alaibe ( Bayelsa), Hon Kingsley Kuku (Ondo), General Paul Boroh (Bayelsa), Prof Charles Dokubo (Rivers) in the Niger Delta region have emerged in different consecutive administrations. Mr. President should not only consider Delta but Delta Central.
