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Global Forum for Accountability and Transparency (GFAT), an advocacy group, has demanded the removal of the sole Administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Effiong Akwa, over assets declaration.
The group alleged that the NDDC sole administrator refused to abide by extant rules on declaration of assets for public officers.
The group, in a statement signed by Lead Executive Director, Joseph Ambakederimo, saif the fact there is a case against Akwa before the Code of Conduct Bureau for allegedly failing to declare his assets while serving as the Managing Director of Akwa Ibom State-owned microfinance bank, Akwa Loans and Savings Limited and as the Special Adviser on Finance to a former Managing Director of the NDDC, puts him on the spot.
The statement said: “We use this medium to call on President Buhari to remove Akwa from office and relieve Godswill Akpabio from his cabinet without delay. They have both brought disrepute to the Buhari government which we have warned a long time ago.
“Mr Akwa’s non-compliance of the code of conduct declaration of assets must be investigated thoroughly and all those who may have a role to play must be made to face the full wrath of the law.”
The statement said the fact that there are “too many illegalities going on in the affairs of the NDDC at the moment and the Presidency looks helpless is unfathomable. About two trillion Naira has so far been mismanaged and misappropriated for the past four years with no visible project to show for it. This is the greatest disservice the Buhari administration has done to the people of the Niger Delta.
“No one has been punished so far and it is business as usual. This circus can’t continue and we must not throw our hands up in the air in denial. The time has come for the President to show courage. Someone must stand up and say enough is enough of this nonsense and stop it one time. Mr. President, stop the drift in the NDDC; stop it; it does not serve you well Sir.”
GFAT said the appointment of Mr. Akwa was wrong, in the first place, “because the appointment is unknown to the Act setting up the Commission and if anyone would argue as in this case they have said the President has the prerogative to hire and fire; yes he does have the power to hire and fire, but please let him use that prerogative wisely and rightly because millions of people from the region depend on NDDC for their survival.”
It urged President Buhari to ensure to make NDDC function “as an entity with all full powers of a democratic institution to serve the people of the region.”
