The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was established as an intervention agency for the oil-producing states in the Niger Delta region. It was formed to drive the development of the region and to promote the livelihood of the people in the region, but the sad reality today is the grand corruption the NDDC is repulsively enmeshed in.
The numerous challenges that have affected the performance of the agency have over the years impacted negatively on the economic and social development of the Niger Delta people. Communities in the region are suffering from consistent ecological challenges caused by oil explorations that have affected their livelihood; many communities remain inaccessible by roads, with little or no access to healthcare, quality education, and an army of unemployed youths. These are poignant reminders of the abundant challenges the region collectively faces.
As we recognize the devastating impact of a corrupt agency like NDDC, we also note that those most affected are the poorest and indeed the most vulnerable people of the region. Social Action recognizes the significant role the entire Niger Delta region can play. The effort and commitment to rebrand and restructure the NDDC for the most advantageous performance should be chiefly driven by the affected region. Regional efforts to rid the agency of corruption, strengthen and increase the effectiveness of the agency should be intensified, while stressing the importance of the federal government’s cooperation.
In a society where the defenceless becomes the haunted, such society will in no time breed violence. This was the message of members of the Civil Rights Council who visited the Area commandant in charge of Bori command with a written complaint of extortion, illegal arrest and harassment of citizens by police officers under his jurisdiction. In the complaint letter dated 22nd of June 2022, the same day the visit was made, members of the Civil Rights Council led by the Bori Chapter Chairman, Comrade Dumka Deemue highlighted the nefarious activities carried out by men of the Nigerian Police Force at the popular Kpopie junction and other parts of Bori.
The management of Wave FM invited Social Action for a courtesy visit on the 23rd of June, 2022, at their Port Harcourt office. The General Manager of the Station, Mr. Rex Igiri, who presided over the meeting, received the representatives of Social Action alongside his colleagues Mr. Adetola Adeasake, the Head of Administration and Accounts and Mr. Excel Uwaezuoke, the Head of Programmes. He thanked the Social Action team, represented by Mr. Peter Mazzi and Peace Agbo, for honouring the invitation and expressed his delight for the support the station has always received from Social Action via different programs and collaboration. According to him, the main purpose of the invite was to say “thank you and express their appreciation” for past and present support by the organization while looking forward to working with them anytime the opportunity present itself.
He further briefed Social Action Team on the next edition of the quarterly programme “Walk for Safety, Walk for Security”, tagged “Walk for Food Security.” Though the program is still in the planning stage and scheduled to hold in October, he felt the need to get meaningful input of stakeholders like Social Action for a successful outing. Mr Igiri noted the theme was specifically chosen to draw attention to one of the biggest challenges facing the country at the moment with the view to galvanizing support to address it.
Speaking on-behalf of Social Action, the Communications Coordinator, Mr. Peter Mazzi applauded the station for reaching out to Social Action and acknowledging the works of NGOs and Civil Society Organization in promoting social change. He stressed that in order to make any meaningful social and economic development, the government, CSOs, the Media and the citizens must play their parts. But he added that the citizens must take the lead as they have the critical mass to drive the needed policy change from the duty bearers. He also assured the General Manager that Social Action would continue to give its unflinching support to programs targeted at making positive impact to the best of available resources.
Social Action paid a courtesy visit to Christian Aid Nigeria’s Office in Abuja on Wednesday 2nd June 2022.
The objective of the visit was to introduce Social Action and its goal of improving women and girls’ safety, security, human rights, promoting gender equity, mitigating climate change impacts in the North East, and promoting socio-economic justice in communities. The visit was also to seek possible collaboration with the Christian Aid in empowering vulnerable and marginalized groups in hard-to-reach conflict areas communities of Nigeria to demand good governance.
The Federal Government has directed all unexecuted contracts awarded by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), between 2000 and December 31, 2019 be revoked and beneficiary contractors that received mobilization to refund the all monies to NDDC accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN) according to report by Vanguard news, dated May 23rd, 2022. This was made known by the Commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Dr Ibitoye Abosede. According to him, this is in accordance with the Public Procurement Act and in line with the terms of the contracts for the award of the said projects.
The news of the arrest of a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Patricia Etteh, and Mr. Nsima Ekere a former Managing Director of the NDDC by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with NDDC contract scam and fund diversion is a welcome development. Mrs. Etteh was arrested in connection with an N240 million contract scam while Mr. Ekere was arrested on Wednesday 18 May, 2022 in connection with the diversion of N47billion. Mrs. Etteh’s arrest was over an unexplainable N130 million transferred to her personal account from Phil Jin Project Limited, a firm that was awarded the N240millon contract by the NDDC. Mr. Ekere on the other hand was alleged to have diverted funds through registered contractors. It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 had ordered the forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) due to public outburst over the monstrous corruption and impunity going on in the NDDC. These two arrests are indications that no corrupt public officials will go unpunished.
Nigerians are witnessing the starkest economic inequalities, social alienation and political despondency in the history of the country, and this is a product of a corrupt system that has dismantled the economic, social and political foundations of the country. This nauseating development has rubbed off on all sectors of the economy and the downstream sector is not immune to it.
Nigeria boasts of four state-owned petroleum refineries in Warri, Kaduna, and Port Harcourt, yet these refineries have been dormant and unproductive for many years. As a result, the country imports refined petroleum products from other countries like the Netherlands, etc. The saddening part is how the government claims to spend billions of naira annually on the purported maintenance these non-performing refineries. According to report by Business day, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) wasted N604.127bn in maintaining the refineries in 2017, this waste of taxpayers’ money was done without any meaningful output from the comatose refineries and this waste has continued even to present time. It is obvious that these refineries are used as a conduit to drain the national purse.
Social Action presents the views of members of polluted communities in Ogoniland who decry the failure of the Nigerian government to provide emergency services such as clean water a decade after the UNEP Report. Ten years after the UNEP found high pollution levels, including scandalous amounts of carcinogenic substances in groundwater in Ogoniland, the Nigerian federal government commenced some water projects in 2021, with implementation slow and tardy.
GRANT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS POLITICAL AND FINANCIAL AUTONOMY; ACTIVISTS URGE NASS
Social and development activists in Nigeria have called on the Federal Government and National Assembly of Nigeria (NASS) to grant local governments in the country financial, political and administrative autonomy as a matter of urgency. This call was made on Monday during a one day virtual Town hall meeting on, “Addressing Obstacles to Local Government Independence in Nigeria” organized by Social Development Integrated Centre, Social Action with support from the United Nations Democracy Funds.
Speaking at the event, Comrade Akeem Ambali, National President of NULGE said the major obstacle to Local government autonomy in Nigeria is the lacuna in Section 162(6) of the 1999 constitution as amended; “Each State shall maintain a special account to be called “State Joint Local Government Account” into which shall be paid all allocations to the Local Government Councils of the State from the Federation Account and from the Government of the State”.
Operating a joint account with the state, according to the Comrade does not favour the local government as the state political actors cash into this opportunity for private enrichment. “The heavy corruption, greed and insatiable appetite for immense wealth by state political actors are major obstacles to achieving LG independence in Nigeria”, he said. To address this bottleneck situation, local governments should be funded directly from the federal allocation.
Comrade Ambali suggested a bottom-up approach to governance in Nigeria. Along with financial autonomy, the local government should be given political and administrative autonomy. Rather than the state electoral commissions, Independent National Election Commission (INEC) should be allowed to conduct unbiased and transparent elections for local governments.
He further stressed the need for community policing and the entrenchment of Local Government Service Commission to ensure quality assurance and a proper audit system in LG operations. These strategies would not only break LGs from the shackles of the state governments but also strengthen democracy tenets in Nigeria and create employment opportunities at the grassroots, Comrade Ambali asserted.
In her summation, Comrade Hauwa Mustapha, a development activist, said it is sad to note that the local governments are seen as appendages to the states, rather than as a tier of government. This dis-functionality has led to a breakdown of governance and facilities, reduction in human capital and extreme poverty at the grassroots. She, therefore, called for a proper definition in the constitution on the roles and power of local governments as a tier of government. She also called for a collective movement for local government autonomy in Nigeria. This movement she stressed will advocate for citizens’ rights at the grassroots, gender empowerment, fiscal and resource control and an accountable Local government system.
Other members of the panel, Barrister Che Oyinatumba of Kubwa Express and Dr Udy Akpan of Youth for Change Initiative also called for behavioural and structural changes in Nigerian local governments. According to them, a lack of accountability in the local government will continue until its structure is unattached to the State.
Participants also suggested that pressure be put on the state Houses of Assembly to assent to bills regarding local government autonomy.
Responding to this, Prince Edegbuo of Social Action said the campaign for local government autonomy continues and hinted that a massive campaign will be launched on Twitter. Edegbuo, therefore, encouraged all to join Social Action and partners in this “storm” as well as other social and traditional media campaigns for local government autonomy. This he believes will give room for accountability of the local government system and improved service delivery.
While the moderator of the event, Comrade Jaye Gaskia thanked panellists and participants for their contributions to the program, he reminded all that local government autonomy is a must and so is inclusive governance. He, therefore, urged all to rise up and defend the local government.
Communique of the Regional Accountability Conference 2022: Beyond the Forensic Audit – Repositioning the Niger Delta Development Commission for Inclusive and Effective Service Delivery
PREFACE
Social Development Integrated Centre (Social Action) with support from the MacArthur Foundation successfully organized the 2022 Regional Accountability Conference with the theme, Beyond the Forensic Audit – Repositioning the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for inclusive and effective service delivery. The conference, which was held at Visa Karena Hotels, Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday, February 24, 2022, was attended by various stakeholders from anti-corruption agencies and committees, traditional rulers, civil society groups, community groups, and the Media.
