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Enyeribe Ejiogu
The newly appointed Executive Director, Finance and Administration in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr Maxwell Oko, has given assurance that the agency would work towards actualizing the mandate of the commission. This followed encomiums poured on him by former President Goodluck Jonathan, who expressed confidence in his ability to turn things around in the Niger Delta through the NDDC.
Oko, a former Niger Delta activist, was at the forefront of the struggle for the emancipation of the Niger Delta before assuming office as Commissioner for Youths in the administration of a former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, now Minister of State for Petroleum.
A few days after his appointment, Oko paid visits some major critical stakeholders from the region, including former president Goodluck Jonathan, former president, Ijaw National Congress (INC), Chief Joshua Fumudoh, promising to do things differently.
He said his meeting with Fumudoh, “We were actively involved in the struggle for a better deal for the people of the Niger Delta. That was how the NDDC came about. But unfortunately, the region has not seen the kind of development that the founding fathers envisaged.
“We believe that things will change for good in the NDDC. I do not know what the place looks like for now, since we are yet to resume work. But what I can say is that things will no longer remain the same there. We will do our best to turn things around.”
Meanwhile, Jonathan in his congratulatory personally signed by him, said: “Over the years, you have exhibited good leadership, maturity and democratic values in the positions of authority you have held in Bayelsa State.”
