Youths berate NDDC over N1.045b donation to oil states for fight COVID-19

Youth leaders of Ethic Nationalities in the Niger Delta, has condemned the donation of N1.045 billion by Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to oil producing states to combat the spread of COVID-19.

Irked by this, the group has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to properly investigate the finances of the commission because billions of naira so far released to it by the Federal Government and oil companies were allegedly being mismanaged and diverted.

The National Co-ordinator of the group, Imoh Okoko, said it was worrisome that while several communities in the nine oil producing states lack access to potable drinking water, the intervention agency set up by government to address such issues had announced it would make available N775 million to support these state governments in the fight against COVID-19. This was also in addition to an additional N250 million that would be released by the NDDC to fast-track the establishment of the isolation centres in the 27 senatorial districts across the region.”

Okoko said that it was curious that while the North-East Development Commission has not given a one naira to any of the states under it, the NDDC was already giving out the money meant for the purpose of addressing development deficit in the oil producing states to the governors.

The group said instead of the NDDC management to face primary responsibilities, they want to use the money budgeted for the oil producing states for another purpose, saying: “People in the rural areas are dying of malaria everyday, people are dying on the road everyday because the roads are terrible. If the Federal Government is already tackling COVID-19, NDDC should concentrate and do other things. We want the acting MD to stay away from COVID-19 and allow the President do his job. The governors have allocations and they have monies they can use to fight the disease. He should stop sharing the NDDC funds to the state governors.”