Posted by The Vanguard on
Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commision (NDDC), Ambassador Sam Edem yesterday said the commission has received a total of N143.67 billion since inception in 2001.
ABUJA - Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commision (NDDC), Ambassador Sam Edem yesterday said the commission has received a total of N143.67 billion since inception in 2001.
Edem said this in Abuja, while briefing a joint session of House of Representatives Committee on NDDC and the visiting British parliamentarians on the activities of the commission.
He said the allocation for the development of the nine benefiting states was judiciously used at an average of N3 billion per state in the execution of projects and community development activities.
The NDDC boss said over 814 projects were initiated since inception, with 72 per cent of them completed, adding that 40 per cent of NDDC budget was spent on road construction.
He listed other projects as electrification, educational, water supply, empowerment and development of the youth in the areas, populated by over 30 million people.
While recalling the rationale for the establishment of the commission, Edem lamented the degradation caused by the oil companies in the past three decades in the areas.
He urged the visiting British Parliamentarians, who were on a fact-finding mission to the Niger Delta areas to assist the zone in whatever area they could.
Earlier, leader of the parliamentarians, John Robertson thanked the Nigerian government for hosting them and allowing them to visit the areas in the Niger Delta.
He said Nigeria was an important nation in Africa and that any relief granted it was the beginning of their assistance to African nations in general.
The chairman of House committee on NDDC, Olaka Nwogu, appealed to the visitors to assist the oil communities in the Niger Delta.
Earlier, the Speaker, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari solicited additional areas of cooperation and assistance between the two countries.