OPINIONPOLLS:
21 July,2023
Lagos By ChristyD (ICC Media) Internation Communication Centre
Recently the news hemisphere has been awash with the pronouncement of former Governor of Rivers State Nyesom Ezenwo Wike where which he described the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC as a fat cash cow for those that intend milking the Niger Delta region dry.
Accusing the NDDC of doing too little to spearhead progress and growth within the Niger Delta, the ex-Rivers governor alleged that the uncoordinated approach to issues of development by the agency has tended most of the time to distort masterplans laid out by oil producing states.
According to Wike, if the intention of the Commission is to jump start progress and physical development, it would embark on projects like the Port Harcourt Ring Road which was recently inaugurated by the Executive Governor of Rivers State Sim Fubara.
The statement which has elecitated lots of comments from various quarters as to the veracity of or otherwise of the statement, is to say the least, one of the most controversial or would I say bold statements to have been made by any governor or former governor from the region.
Wike being the Frank and bold politician he is, will be quoted to have made this statement for the second time running the first being when the dissolved board of the interventionist Commission was inaugurated.
Like I posited earlier, the statement has been viewed from different prisms especially politically where some persons would easily want to twist it to favour their political differences with the past governor of one of the states that can lay claim to ensuring that the Commission runs better for the benefit of the people of the region.
Realising the political and otherwise implications of the pronouncement of ex Governor Nyesom Wike, I was taken aback by the response of the Sole Administrator of the Commission Dr. Sammy Ogbuku wherein he acknowledged the statement but with a pledge to not tow the line of the Commission being a cash cow but rather a Commission that will impact on the lives of the people during the period in which he will serve as Sole Administrator and probably reappointed as Managing Director of the Commission especially considering his quick positive impact strategy at the Commission.
Rather than turn the statement to a political tirade, Dr. Ogbuku was pragmatic enough to outline his plans to reposition to the Commission for the better
“For the past six months”, Ogbuku explained, “NDDC has been building a sustainable foundation to ensure we run on a smooth and right track.
“We are working to put in place a corporate governance system that will enable the Commission to run in accordance with global best practices.”
Expatiating on the reason why the Commission’s current leadership is adopting new “processes and procedures”, Ogbuku stressed, “Once there is a corporate governance system, you cannot beat it.”
“That is the game changer for us. We want to regulate ourselves internally; that is why we must establish a system,” the Managing Director added.
This above quoted statement of Ogbuku shows a personality that is not swayed by political sentiments but by rationality and it is important we give kudos to him.
