A note for Audu-Ohwavborua, the new NDDC boss
By GbaramatuVoice Editorial Board
History was made on Thursday, October 20, 2022, when President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Engr Emmanuel Audu-Ohwavborua as the new acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
By this latest appointment, you (Audu-Ohwavborua), has shown clearly that ordinary calculation can be upturned by extraordinary personalities.
Indeed, as you perform these duties of the Managing Director in an acting capacity pending the appointment of a substantive Managing Director and members of the Governing Board, GbaramatuVoice, congratulates you on your latest appointment.
Meanwhile, as the newspaper celebrates your latest appointment, there are, however, some silent points that we need to bring to your notice that will assist you succeed in your new position.
You will recall that NDDC was among other objectives established to offer a lasting solution to the socio-economic difficulties of the Niger Delta region and to facilitate the rapid and sustainable development of the Niger Delta into a region that is economically prosperous, socially stable, ecologically regenerative and politically peaceful.
But the commission has visibly performed far below average in this direction. Take the provision of infrastructure in the coastal part of the region as an example; there are pockets of complaints by coastal dwellers that the Commission has abandoned this prime objective.
As a matter of fact, the coastal dwellers have in recent times perceived and referred to NDDC as ‘a city boy’ that has nothing to do with coastal regions. This new belief is predicated on the fact that most of the NDDC projects are presently sited in the cities while the coastal parts are starved of developmental projects. Even the little that was flagged off in the coastal areas has since been abandoned by the Commission.
Again, as the most senior director in the NDDC before your recent appointment, you will also recall that one of the core mandates of the commission is to train and educate the youths of the oil rich Niger Delta regions to curb hostilities and militancy.
But, you will in all fairness agree with GbaramatuVoice that the Commission’s performance on this mandate is far from being described as impressive.
Therefore, as you settle down to perform this responsibility recently thrust on you by the new appointment, GbaramatuVoice holds the opinion that you must as a matter of urgency take pragmatic steps to among other expectations change the narratives by addressing the above underlined issues.
To achieve this objective, you must first recognize that, bringing a radical improvement or achieving sustainable development in a way that both protects the rights and opportunities of coming generations will not be possible if you present yourself as all-knowing, more generous, more nationalistic, selfless, more honest or kind, more intelligent, good looking or well-briefed than other stakeholders.
You must demonstrate humility at all times, particularly when discharging your duties. Most importantly, you must not fail to carry all stakeholders along in all your decision making processes.
If you are able to achieve these, it will no doubt announce the arrival of a brand new NDDC that will be trusted by all.
Again, accept our sincere congratulations.
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