President Muhammadu Buhari has sent to the Senate for confirmation, the names of people who are to form the governing board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Umana Umana, disclosed this on Thursday during a working visit to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, according to a report by The Nation newspaper.
The NDDC headquarters is in Port Harcourt.
“I am happy to state that some of the serious pending issues, like the absence of the NDDC Board, have also been addressed.
And as we speak, Mr. President has transmitted the names of members of the Board to the Senate,”
The Nation quoted Mr Umana as saying, when he visited the Ahoada axis of the East-West Road, which has been washed off by flood.
Mr Umana was accompanied by the acting Managing Director of NDDC, Emmanuel Audu-Ohwavborua, other officials of the NDDC and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.
The minister said the Senate, on its resumption, would act on the president’s nomination for the NDDC board.
“Some of the impending matters that impeded the performance of the commission have been dealt with. I have presidential approval for the transmission of the 2021/2022 budget of the Commission.
“I also have presidential approval that recovered funds be released. The President directed that those funds should be used to fund core infrastructural projects in the region,” he added.
For the damaged portion of the East-West Road, the minister directed the NDDC to mobilise the contractor to begin work on it so as to make it passable.
He said the federal government was using a “concerted approach” to tackle the flood which has ravaged several states in the country.
“The Federal Government is handling this through a concerted approach, which will involve many agencies of government, including the military personnel, who are now helping by using helicopters to get to sites that are not accessible.”
The Nation reported that the minister directed NDDC to provide relief materials to residents in the region who have been displaced by flood.
“When we talk about relief, it is a whole package. The relief will come in various forms, materials, health support, women and children, among others,” he said.