Worried by the under development in the Niger Delta region, a group, The Niger Delta Patriotic Initiative (NDPI) at the weekend called for better funding of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.
In the course of a courtesy visit to Engr. Tuoyo Omatsuli, the Executive Director of Projects of the Commission, the group lamented the poor funding profile of the NDDC, saying this has frustrated its ability to deliver on its mandate.
The Convener of the group, Hon. Michael Tidi, while underlining the preparedness of the NDPI to partner with the commission for the sustainable development of the Niger Delta, stated that the era of paying lip service to the development of the region was over and that the long abandonment of the goose that lays the golden eggs would no longer be tolerated.
Earlier, Executive Secretary of the body, Hon. Julius Pondi stressed the preference of the NDPI for cooperation rather than confrontation, remarking that all stakeholders will have to come together for the concise development of the region.
On his part, Barr. Jesutega Onokpasa, Co-Convener of the NDPI, said that the group was committed to convening a funding summit for the NDDC for the purpose of assessing greater funding for the commission and ensuring that what has already been budgeted for it would be timely released.
Responding, Engr. Tuoyo Omatsuli, assured the group that President Goodluck Jonathan has put in place a workable template for the NDDC to deliver on its mandate and that God willing, a renaissance is about to be witnessed in the region with a new board in place, led by Senator Bassey Eta-Henshaw and Barr. Bassey Dan-Abia.
