The Social Democratic Party, SDP, has urged the traditional and political leaders in Niger Delta region to rescue the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, from imminent collapse.
Recall that the NDDC leadership had been mired in a controversy surrounding a missing N40billion as well as the ongoing probe by the National Assembly.
Addressing newsmen on Tuesday, the party chairman, Delta State chapter, Oke Idawene, described the revelations of financial impropriety in the commission as embarrassing to the people of the region.
Mr Idawene, therefore, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that all those found to have collaborated in the looting of the NDDC funds return such money to government coffers and face justice.
Mr Idawene also appealed to the Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, to reconsider the government plans to suspend the payment of the new minimum wage for civil servants from grade 7 to 17, owing to the shortfall in revenues of the state occasioned by COVID-19.
According to him, majority of the civil servants were not happy with the development, saying the year 2020 has become a year of survival and not a year to carry out massive projects.
“If salaries are cut what happens to their needs?,” he queried.
Mr Idawene, who is also the Chairman of Forum of States Chairmen of SDP, backed the government’s move to establish state security outfit ‘Operation Delta Hawk’.
According to him, this would help tackle rising security challenges, saying the security of lives and properties remain the core duty of any serious government.
While expressing gratitude to God for the quick recovery of Mr Okowa and his family, his SSG, Chiedu Ebie and Commissioner for Information, Charles Aniagwu, from the COVID-19, Mr Idawene appealed to Deltans to adhere to protocols put in place to curtail the coronavirus pandemic.
“Let me commend the state government for the pace and quality of work being done on the Asaba – Ughelli dual carriageway.
“The job being done on the road dualisation is worthy of commendations. The beautification of Asaba by the Asaba Capital Territory Development Agency is also worth celebrating, very soon the glory of Asaba will be restored,” he noted.
