Ijaw Media Council Writes Tinubu, Demands Probe of NDDC MD Ogbuku, Others

By Monday Peters, Abuja

Following the unrealistic and perceived deceptions in the management of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, apex Ijaw media council ,the Ijaw Publishers’ Forum (IPF) has written to president Bola Ahmed Tinubu to institute a probe into the financial recklessness of the managing director of the Niger Delta development Commission, NDDC and the entire board, stating that NDDC had been turned to ATM machine for a few.

This was contained in a statement signed by the spokesman of the Ijaw Publishers’ Forum, Comrade Ezekiel Kagbala, copies of which were made available to journalists in Warri, Delta State, on Monday.

The media council further called on prominent Niger Delta leaders to prevail on the Ogbuku led NDDC management to give stewardship of the trillions accrued to the commission over the period of his administration.

The Ijaw apex media organization said the probe had become imperative considering the non- impactful programs the commission is rerunning to siphon money belonging to the people of Niger Delta to their individual pockets.

IPF emphasised that Ogbuku was not interested in lifting Niger Delta region out of poverty, underdevelopment but very interesting in littering the region with abandoned projects and substandard programs.

The forum noted that despite the trillions accrued to the NDDC for the period of Ogbuku led administration, there was no rural electricity, drinkable water, good roads, bridges to connect rural communities to the urban cities, and an adequate health care centre among
among Niger Delta rural and riverine communities.

The forum also lamented that there was no any riverine community being connected to the national grid rather Ogbuku keeps installing low cost street solar lights that have no value in the lives of the people in a selective manner.

IPF insisted that NDDC fake programs such as Project Hope, NDDC Youth Internship Scheme, Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Mines, and Agriculture (NDCCITMA) should be probed, adding that they were not impactful but a medium of syphoning the Commission’s Treasury.

The media council further added that Ogbuku was not working for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s interest in winning the Niger Delta’s support, but only interested in becoming the next governor of Bayelsa State.

The Ijaw Publishers’ said Ogbuku was doing selective empowerment of boys that were loyal to him, political leaders he feels will support him for his political ambition, his numerous girl friends and his Ayakoro community.

According to them, Tinubu’s re-election bid would suffer a terrible setback if Ogbuku-led NDDC management was not called to order, adding that many Niger Delta youth and communities were already angry at Tinubu for imposing Ogbuku on the throat of the commission and its people.