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Former Deputy National Publicity of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank has urged the Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Joy Nunieh, to rid the organisation of corruption.
In a statement issued at the weekend, Frank maintained that it behooves those entrusted with the responsibility of managing the commission to resist the antics of adversaries of the Niger Delta region by ensuring that the ongoing forensic audit of the outfit was successfully concluded.
He particularly challenged the faceless groups behind insinuations that Nunieh was parading a ‘fake certificate’ to publish their facts, if any or stop their attempts to blackmail her.
Frank added that the MD and the Interim Management Committee (IMC) needed the support of all, especially critical stakeholders in the region to succeed.
“It is very sad that the Niger Delta people, especially some youths in the region have allowed themselves to be misled by corrupt politicians and contractors who have been syphoning the patrimony of the Niger Delta through the NDDC.
“These corrupt politicians and contractors are enemies of the Niger Delta, they don’t want change. They want the status quo to remain so that they can continue to fritter our wealth away, hence the campaign of calumny against Nunieh.
“They have thrown caution to the wind and are churning out outright lies through their proxies, hoping that their lies will stick in an effort to put a stop to the forensic audit that is being carried out in the NDDC.
“Nunieh must not relent, the forensic audit must be completed and those found wanting must be made to pay the price as a deterrent to others.
“These corrupt politicians and contractors whose stock in trade is to get jobs from NDDC and after mobilisation, abscond and abandon the project, have tried to compromise her to no avail, they have now resorted to propaganda, blackmail and treat to her life, all in a bid to dissuade her from carrying out her mandate,” he stated.
He urged Niger Delta youths, citizens and lovers of the region to rally round Nunieh and give her necessary support to enable her continue to carry out the forensic audit of the NDDC.
Frank argued that the forensic audit was an opportunity to put the NDDC on the right part so that the average Niger Delta person could benefit from commission, as the NDDC would fulfill its mandate to the Niger Delta under her management.
“As acting MD, Nunieh has given scholarship to one child per ward in each of the wards in the entire Niger Delta region, which translates to over 200 children.
“This is the first time that such scholarship is given to children of the Niger Delta from the ward level and not children of politicians or highly placed individuals children.
“She has done something that her predecessors could not do and will do more, as such should be commended and encouraged instead of being threatened and blackmailed,” he added.