Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State at the flag-off construction of the Elele internal roads in Ikwerre Local Government Area, decried that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has become a cashcow for politicians. He stated that the commission has over the years underdeveloped the Niger Delta states. Governor Wike declared that he will monitor the N500 billion budget of the NDDC currently in the National Assembly.
Wike had declared: “NDDC has become a cashcow for politicians.
“The President has just inaugurated the new Board of the NDDC. N500 billion budget for NDDC; election is coming from the 25th of February. What the politicians have done is to put pressure on the National Assembly so that they pass the N500 billion budget for NDDC.”
Wike maintained: “At the end of the day, you can’t see the impact of N500 billion for Niger Delta. Who are those superintending the Niger Delta? Are they not our children?”
Wike cautioned the new NDDC Chairman, Lauretta Onochie, to ensure the N500 billion proposed budget of the commission is utilised for the good of the people of the Niger Delta. He stated that he will set his eyes on the budget.
According to Wike, “I will use this budget to test you whether you will sit with your management to allow this N500bn to be siphoned to private pockets. I will use this one to test the Chairman of NDDC, our sister, Onochie.
“Our eyes are open, this N500 billion, our eyes are open. I’ve told the Attorney General to get prepared to go to court and challenge them. This one, I will expose them.”