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From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Technical Adviser to Governor Douye Diri on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Nyenye Kuro Matthias, has expressed displeasure with the number of abandoned projects of the interventionist agency in the state.
Matthias who also doubles as the focal person on NDDC in a statement issued in Yenagoa while commending Governor Douye Diri for his appointment said several of the NDDC projects were either abandoned or left uncompleted.
He disclosed that his office is developing an app that would allow Bayelsans to track all NDDC projects in the state.
“First, as we all know, the NDDC as an interventionist agency has several projects it has awarded across Bayelsa. Sadly most of these projects were either abandoned or not completed. This is a concern to both the state and the federal government, which led to the carrying out of a forensic audit of the Commission. At the state level, my office is also carrying out the tracking of all NDDC projects in communities across the state. We have concluded two Sagbama and Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Areas and are looking forward to concluding the remaining six local government areas. We are also developing an app where we will upload the entire tracking report so that with just a click of the finger, Bayelsans can access the status of NDDC intervention in the state,” he said.
Matthias who recalled the recent visit of the NDDC Interim Administrator of NDDC, Mr Effiong Akwa provided an opportunity for the state government to engage the NDDC on mutually beneficial issues in the spirit of partnership and collaboration disclosed that they are jointly organising an interactive session with the traditional institutions and other critical stakeholders in the development process so as to seek their support, collaboration and feedback on developmental issues in their domain.
According to him their direct involvement in the governance process will galvanise local participation and ownership of the projects in their domain.
He harped on the dismal performance of NDDC projects in the state in the two local governments tracked which was not up to 50per cent completion and expressed optimism that through the tracking exercise and the interactive session, the state government and the NDDC will be able to discuss on strategies to avoid uncompleted projects henceforth.
