Date Published: 10/11/09

NDDC Contractors fume, warn against fresh violence

CONTRACTORS of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), an interventionist agency that was set up by the Federal Government of Nigeria, to tackle the development challenges of the oil and gas region, have warned against the area cycling back to violence.

The obviously angry contractors say the NDDC should be held responsible in the event of fresh outbreak of violent protests in the oil-bearing communities.

According to the NDDC Contractors Forum, ''we have noticed with dismay the lull that has pervaded the NDDC since the assumption of office of  this new board of management. We want to draw the attention of the management of the commission that the relative peace presently attained in the Niger Delta should not be taken for granted in order for the polity not to be heated up once again''.

 Joseph Ambakederimo, co-ordinator of the forum, told our correspondent in an on-line chat on Friday, ''we want to appeal to the management of the commission to understand that the NDDC was eatablished to cater and create jobs and empower people by ways of awarding contracts and making payments to contractors as and when due therefore budgeted funds should be utilized for the purpose earmarked for, to meet the aspirations of the people and also realize the objective of the NDDC''.

According to them, ''it will be unpalatable to hear that budgeted funds are to be returned to the treasury at this time when we clamour for improved funding of the commission by the federal government. This should not happen at this time when unaccountable interim payment certificates are pending,

''Final payment certificates are pending, new contracts should be awarded and contractors mobilized to site to galvanize the system and bring the much needed development to the doorstep of every nook and cranny in the Niger Delta.

''But what we are seeing is a situation where the unutilized funds has to be returned to the treasury in line with the federal government directive that by December 31 of every year all unutilized funds must be returned to the treasury.''

Continuing, they said, ''we have so much to do in the Niger Delta now that we have relative peace. Now is the time to kick start massive development by all agencies that are saddled with the responsibility to develop the area'', and argued, ''if we observe that the management is incompetent and lacks the wherewithal to confront the challenges the Niger Delta is facing and key into President Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua’s vision for the Niger Delta, then we will join the call for the dissolution of the board of management as it is presently constituted and bring in those who are ready to take on the challenges headlong''.

''Inspite of the present lull that we have highlighted'', they went on, ''we want to use this opportunity to once again appeal to President Yar’ Adua to release the NDDC withheld fund which is put at about N320Billion Naira to fast track development in the area.

''President Yar'Adua should know that releasing this fund now will go a long way to show that he means well for the Niger Delta and this will no doubt put skeptics to shame on the sincerity of the President. The NDDC needs more funding than ever before as the task ahead is enormous and only serious minded people should be considered for appointment into the NDDC anything short of that will bring stunted growth and development to the area''.   

In the mean time, they have called on all contractors to ensure that they mobilize to site in goodtime as soon as payments are released taking into cognizance the short period of the dry season that is just setting in.

''We have to make good use of the period of the dry season to attain an appreciable level of work. Contractors who have abandoned site should ensure that they go back to site as we will not condone any act of lawlessness on the part of contractors who have collected huge mobilization fees and abandoned site. Such contractors will not be welcomed in this forum'', they said.