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…Urges presidency to release more funds for commission
From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
The Niger Delta Indigenous Contractors (NDICA) and Contractors Association of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), have passed a vote of confidence in the Managing Director of the Commission, Samuel Ogboku, for his proven integrity and administrative competence.
The group declared this at a joint press conference held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday, and urged the presidency to release more funds for the commission to facilitate its interventionist jobs in the Niger Delta region.
National President of NDICA, Dressman Darlinton-Gbolobofa, who addressed journalists alongside other officials of the two groups, commended President Bola Tinubu for the bold decisions he had taken in steering the country towards the part of growth and development.
He said: “As stakeholders interested in the advancement of the socio-economic development of the Niger Delta region, we are particularly grateful to the President for sparing the Management team of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) ably led by the Managing Director, Samuel Ogboku.
“We are glad to nite that the rancour, distrust and animosity that characterized the relationship between the NDDC and its vendors/contractors have become a thing of the past as a result of the effective administrative style of Ogboku and his team. For instance, gone are the days when hapless local contractors were forced to embark on disruptive protests over non-payment of jobs executed for the commission.”
The groups further noted: “This vexed issue of non-payment of contractors after executing sundry jobs for the commission, a major source of embarrassment to government and friction with contractors, has been laid to rest as contractors are now sure of their payments in reasonable time.
“Worthy of commendation is the Management’s well-thought out decision to pay contractors starting with small tickets, which constitute about 60 percent of the commission’s debt to contractors.”
The groups, however, called on international oil companies (IOCs) and gas processing companies operating within the Niger Delta to, as matter of urgency, fastrack their release of funds to enable the commission clear contractual liabilities bedevilling it (NDDC).
