Stakeholders Warn Against Distraction Of Niger Delta Minister, Endorse NDDC Reforms

The Niger Delta Professionals Group, has warned against any form of distraction, to the Minister of Niger Delta and administration of agencies under the Ministry, saying such attempt, including a recent protest by some “disgruntled” employees of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) are the handiwork of corrupt individuals bent on seeing the collapse of NDDC and the various efforts of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s, targeted at reposition the commission, for the benefit of the people of the Niger Delta.

The group said Corruption, which has become a very dengerous cankerworm in the NDDC, is responsible for the sponsored protest against the Minister, Mr. Umana Okon Umana.

In a joint statement issued on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, the group’s Leaders, Comrade Atani John (Bayelsa), Olufemi Lawson (Ondo) Godspower Ologe (Delta) Paul Jasper (Rivers) Marylynne Omorodion and (Edo), said the antecedents of Mr Umana, is such that has given greater assurances of transformation, to the people of Niger Delta, and clear departure from the past, when the Ministry and the NDDC were a cesspool of corruption.

The statement further read, “We are appalled, by the show of shame, by the sponsored protesters and detractors of the Honorable Minister of Niger Delta, who are shamelessly rented to demand the removal of a man, whose very short term in office, has given series of indications, to the radical transformation to be experienced by our people in the region. We endorsed the ongoing reforms being initiated by Mr. Umana Umana, in line with the determination of President Buhari, to redeem the lost glory of the NDDC, and the Niger Delta Ministry.”

“We are not unaware, that the efforts of Mr Umana, will be unsatisfying, to some politically stranded leaders in the region, including a recent past Minister, in the Ministry, and the few ones who believe in Corruption, as the trade mark of the NDDC and are not willing to stop it, rather they could have the courage, to embark on these campaign of calumny, against Mr. Umana Umana.

“We wish to remind these ‘crisis enterpreneurs’ that it will no longer be business as usual, as we are willing, to continually support the initiatives of the Minister of Niger Delta, especially those aimed at repositioning the NDDC and ridding it of corruption.”

The group said every well meaning citizens of the Niger Delta, must be ready to support every efforts, aimed at seeing an end, to corruption in NDDC.

“Today we are proud President Buhari’s decision to appoint a competent hand, to rescue the Ministry and the NDDC, in person of Mr Umana Okon Umana, whom the people of the Niger Delta, are pleased with in the way and manner he is repositioning and fighting corruption, in the overall interest of our people.” the statement concluded.