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THE SUPERVISORY ROLE OF THE MINISTRY OF NIGER DELTA AFFAIRS OVER THE NDDC: BY UWAKWE ROLAND C O

The Niger Delta region of Nigeria is like the heart of the nation which must be treated with utmost care, sincerity and commitment towards the betterment of the life of persons in the region. Successive governments had attempted to fashion out means of developing the region. First, it was the government of Obasanjo that created the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC through an Act of the National Assembly with the mandate to facilitate the development of the area that feeds the whole nation and yet her people go hungry.

Because of neglect and maladministration, crisis in that region led to the shutdown of oil facility which in turn affected the GDP of the Nigeria’s economy. In 2007 the crisis became so overwhelming that former President Yar’Adua incorporated the Niger Delta problem in his seven point agenda. His government thereafter introduced the amnesty programme which brought relative peace in the region and an increase in the revenue base of the nation. 

Determined to bring lasting peace in the region, Yar’adua created the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, MNDA in 2008 to coordinate developmental activities in the area. Since, the NDDC came into existence before the creation of the MNDA, it was made a Commission, directly to be supervised by President and as a result of this, there has being lack of synergy between the two authorities saddled with the responsibility of developing the region.
It is the thinking of this writer that the supervisory powers of MNDA over the NDDC by this administration is a step in the right direction as it will go a long way in making sure that there is no duplication of function. It will also boast the workings of MNDA as a coordinating agency; hence she can direct the NDDC to concentrate in certain areas.

This development will also quicken the progress of the area as the budget of the NDDC which is usually passed late in the year will now be passed on time together with that of the MNDA. The President should be commended for the decentralization of powers. The position now is that instead of sending files to the President which usually take a lot of time to peruse, due to the huge responsibilities that comes to that office, issues will now be settled at the level of the Commission and Ministry. 

To whom much is given much is also expected. The affairs of Niger Delta people have actually being handed over to persons from the region, hence subsequently they are to be held accountable for the underdevelopment of the region. All hands must be on deck to bring development to the region that is the bride of Nigeria. Instead of killing our fellow citizens in the name of protecting the region, we should rather deny the youths of the region the moral right to fight because God was not mistaken when He blessed the region with such huge resources.

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