By John Iwori
Former
Niger Delta militants have issued a one-week ultimatum to the
management of the Niger Development Commission (NDDC) to release the
contracts the Federal Government approved for them or face dire
consequences.
The
erstwhile agitators from the nine NDDC states who were offered amnesty
by the Federal Government during the administration of former President
Umaru Yar’Adua in a statement by their Spokesman, Mr. Gbene Emer Kagbue
stated that they would no longer accept the refusal of NDDC management
to release approved contracts to them at the expiration of their
ultimatum.
The
former warlords in a statement issued in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State
capital, and obtained by THISDAY at the weekend urged NDDC to comply
with the Federal Government directive on the award of contracts
immediately.
The
ex-agitators also have an axe to grind with the government intervention
agency over some outstanding stipends the commission owes them since
2015.
According
to them, the NDDC needed to comply with the Federal Government
directives to award certain contracts to them as part of the amnesty
programme or be ready for a show down.
Accusing
the management of the commission of poor performance since it took over
the running of the government intervention agency; the ex-agitators
said the commission had not live up to the expectations of the oil
producing communities.
“Officials
of NDCC have been playing politics with our fate. Contracts approved
for us by the Federal Government as part of the amnesty programme have
not been given to us till now. These contracts were meant to serve as
palliatives for the people of the oil producing communities but the
management of NDDC is sitting on them and playing politics with our
fate. This is not acceptable. That is why we are giving the commission
this one week ultimatum. At the expiration of the ultimatum, we will
meet and take a decision on our next level of action”, the statement
added.
According
to the statement, some of the contracts approved for the erstwhile
agitators include road construction, supply and installation of solar
energy light system on the streets of the region, as well as contract of
cleaning up water hyacinth causing blockage on waterways in the area to
reduce high risks of water accidents.
They
regretted that it was unfortunate that in spite of how laudable the
projects were officials of the NDDC had been frustrating their efforts
to secure these contracts.
They
called on the Federal Government to wade into the matter by probing
into why the commission had not been able to carry out its directive on
the award of contracts to the ex-agitators.
They
also called on President Muhammad Buhari to reposition and strengthen
the commission so that it could be in a position to meet the challenging
needs of the region.
They
argued that while they are ready to support the policies and programmes
of the Federal Government especially on security and peace in Niger
Delta region, they will not sit and watch anyone take away their
inalienable rights as indigenes of the oil producing areas of the
country.
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