Court mandates NDDC to seek Wike’s consent before executing contracts

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has ordered the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to always seek the consent of the Rivers State Government before executing any project in the state.

Governor Nyesom Wike through the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice had dragged NDDC, its former Managing Director, Mr. Nsema Ekere and former Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Derick Meene to court for carrying out activities in the state without consent of the government.

Justice Adolphus Enebeli in his judgment yesterday on the matter granted a declaration sought by the government that under Rivers State Physical Planning Law, State Land Law and Urban Development Law, the NDDC or its agent have no power to claim any land or execute any project in any part of Rivers State without the consent of the government.

Enebeli with reference to 60 planned projects by NDDC which resulted to the suit, held that the projects, if allowed to be executed, would affect urban development and Land Use Act of the state.

He ruled that the NDDC should seek the consent of the state government for the execution of the projects.

Meanwhile, Enebeli, refused to grant the declaration sought by the claimants to void section seven and eight of NDDC Act which borders on the developmental map of the nine states of the Niger Delta region.