The Chairman of Bayelsa Traditional Rulers Council, King Bubaraye Dakolo, says the Niger Delta Development Commission, has acted as a conduit for political patronage for more than 20 years.
In an interview with ARISE NEWS, King Dakolo also said Nigeria itself as a nation is making sure that the commission does not develop.
He said “The law that brought about the NDDC is still in good shape but unfortunately NDDC has acted more or less like a conduit for political patronage in the last 20 or so years. It has been a colossal failure.
“The problems of the Niger Delta are largely the Nigerian state. Nigeria as a nation is making sure that Nigeria does not develop and so it picks and chooses who to put there and whoever they put there, they manipulate from Abuja such that it becomes impotent.
“NDDC has failed woefully in delivering its mandate for over 20 years, with countless phantom contracts, failed projects and well over a good percentage of 20 trillion has been expended without what it stands for being realized. NDDC is supposed to liaise with state government and perhaps the local government to compliment them in areas of shortfall to ensure that every state takes a leap forward towards development.”
He also said regardless of the newly appointed Board and management team of the commission by President Tinubu, the law enforcement agencies have to sit up on their jobs, ensuring they bring to book all those going against the law in the NDDC.
“I believe that this board will not let that happen. But Irrespective of the personal characters of each of these persons, what has made NDDC continue to fail is not necessarily the bad or evil characters of the actors.
“It is more of how they are appointed because the institutions of government in Nigeria are also comatose. Why do you think the forensic audit does not have a result for you to see? it’s because the name of everybody that you know, that has been a major player in this country has his name inside.
“It’s about the system. Will the Nigerian police do its job? Will the EFCC do its job? all those agencies that are supposed to make Nigerans obey the law should wake up. The law enforcements should stand tall enough to charge whoever goes against the law. If those ones are comatose, then I can tell you it may as well be another game,” he said.
King Dakolo also called for a probe into the dealings of the NDDC.
He also called for the release of the already carried out forensic audit, adding that there is no need to carry out another auditing.
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