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PTCIJ Urges Niger Deltans To Lead Campaign Against Fraudulent NDDC Officials

Published

4 years ago

August 26, 2020

Joel Ajayi

Indigenes of the oil-rich Niger Delta region have been charged to be at the forefront of calling out officials and exposing corrupt acts perpetrated by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The call was made Wednesday by two senior investigative journalists of the Premium Times Centre For Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ) Akintunde Babatunde and Adebayo Taiwo-Hassan, during a radio program, PUBLIC CONSCIENCE produced by the Progressive Impact Organization for Community Development, PRIMORG.

NDDC has been enmeshed in uncountable allegations of financial impropriety and fraud against its basic mandate of developing the oil-rich region. An investigation conducted by PTCIJ in 2019 on the state of multi-billion naira projects awarded by the commission had revealed that many contracts awarded by NDDC were either poorly executed or abandoned since creation in 2000.

Taiwo-Hassan, a senior investigative reporter said it was worrisome to see members of the public, civil society organizations, National Assembly raise alarm over the rot and malfeasance in NDDC while people from the region appear less-concerned.

“You have people from the region who are very educated, who are on twitter and other social media platforms, what has come from them, have they reported poorly executed projects in their area.”

Describing the effect of abandoned and poorly executed projects in the region, he said the mess caused by years of mal-administration in the region is actually not expressible and words are not enough for it.

“It is extremely messy and has become worse by activity of people who are entrusted with a role to ameliorate the situation but they have turned it to criminal money making enterprise. “

Asked if the situation in Niger Delta can be tied to the acts of criminality associated with the region, he said: “of course, there is a link to environment and criminal violence and that is why the more developed a country is, the more peaceful it is. In Nigeria today, you see people who are ready to take up arms against the state, the reason is that there is no form of psychological loyalty because they don’t feel like the state has done anything for them.”

Adding that money, pumped into Niger Delta region through NDDC falls far below executed projects on ground.

Earlier, The Programme Manager, Akintunde Babatunde said investigation was prompted by the massive allocation of funds to the region in almost two decades. According to him, NDDC budget gulped N2.16 trillion naira in 18 years with the agency claiming to have executed over nine thousand projects in 19 years.

He, however, revealed that some of the contracts NDDC claimed to have executed were awarded for 5 times. He recommended that citizens’ involvement in contracts awarded in their communities remains the most efficient means of getting the job done.

Co-convener of the programme, Adaobi Obiabunmuo also joined the call for Nigerians and particularly residents of the oil-rich Niger Delta region to show enthusiasm and hold public officials to account.

“As citizens, we must continue to engage with stakeholders and also monitor projects in our communities,” She stated.

The syndicated radio program is produced by PRIMORG with the support from the MACARTHUR FOUNDATION.

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Featured

Dikko And The New Vision Accountability and Development in Sports

Published

1 week ago

December 16, 2024

The Gleamer

Felly Mammah N.

Since the Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Alhaji Shehu Dikko assumed office on the 30th of October, 2024, he has systematically and deliberately been putting in place structures that would result to proper development of sports in Nigeria. Shortly after he was first appointed by President Bola Tinubu as a leading strength of sports, the Director General (DG), Hon. Bukola Olapade was appointed to compliment his efforts.

Many sports analysts believe that the duo of Dikko and Olapade who have been very visible in sports administration will be one of the best combination to take the sports sector to the next level. The DG no doubt, is the head of administration in the Commission, but it should be noted that the financial enablement to manage the affairs of staff and the political might that shops for the finance needed in the running of the sector rest on the Chairman who has the task of liaising with the President directly.

It is also, worthy to note that there is a huge difference between the administration of in the Civil Service as it is controlled by a Permanent Secretary and Directors while the administration of a Commission involves Board Members and experts whose voices and actions are also, game-changing; more so as Commissioners are likely going to take charge of the different zones to proffer solutions for a way forward. The defunct Ministry of Youths and Sports Development which later in 2023 metamorphosed into the Ministry of Sports Development on the assumption of President Bola Tinubu, produced a minister who was not versed in sports administration and as a result, faced mass criticism especially from men of the media.

These men of the pen profession are the torchlight of global sporting activity; they equally keep the history of both sports participation globally as well as the records of athletes’ performances. Their torchlight on past Minister’s and particularly the recent past, have revealed that most of the people who presided over sports administration do not really have any knowledge of the sector before their appointment.

The exit of the immediate past Minister, Sen. John Owan Enoh, refreshingly paved the way for change and this has brought in sports personnels that are expected to place sporting activities in the digital world. Suffice it to also, say that the new management of Sports Commission in parts of her changes is expected to sanitize athletes’ attitude and character for better reflection of children who have seen and communicated with their peers in the Western world.

However, the clarion call for President Tinubu to remove politics in sports may have changed the leadership of sports going by what many sports fans saw in the last outing of both Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris 2024, where a country like Nigeria did not measure up to her potentials.

Despite the poor performance of atheletes during the World Olympics Games, the past immediate past Minister deserves to be commended that during his tenure, the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) Games was reawakened as the participation of our Super Eagles brought back hope and jubilation to sports fans including the President and higher authorities. Yes whopping sum of N12 Billion was released two weeks to the Olympics Games and at a time the country was not financially stable. Despite the presidential financial support, the medals presented to the country were crisis and ignorant of both the atheletes, Nigeria Olympic Committee and the Atheletic Federaton to do the needful.

Therefore, it is heart-warming that the President harkened to the appeal of his fellow sports lovers to handpick a known figure in the sports arena to share his wealth of experience that gave him both a name in Sports and positions as the former Chairman of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Chairman League Management Company (LMC), FIFA match Commissioner of significance, 2nd Vice President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and presently, CAF Committee Member, in addition to his new portfolio as Chairman NSC.

My reference point here is that Alh. Dikko has been given the authority to effect positive change in sports sector, co-ordinate over 40 Sports Federations in the sector, welcome ideas of both sports stakeholders, individuals and veterans of sports that will enable him x-ray the reasons for poor performances in the sector and to chat a way forward for success story. There can never be a new testament without an old testament, thus the reason Alh. Dikko’s doors have remained opened to receive courtesy calls that included the visits by past administrators and foreigners who want to facilitate with whom the cap fits.

Still, in the mood of celebration to formally welcome Alh. Dikko to office was the peculiar power of sports which gathered momentum and the crowd for happy moments as seen in the recent novelty match organized by his friends, associates and sports veterans at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja recently. That gathering clearly announced not just a man who has made a name for himself at a height in global political decision making in sports circle, but a man who has also, given voice to our country’s leagues and international activities.

Sports is a significant sector that comprises emotion, tension, happiness, sadness even death and hope irrespective of the fact that it has the potential to feed many mouths. The sector cannot be compared to other Ministries with delayed bureaucracies and frustration of abilities. While in the civil service the head will rather submerge a growing talent for fear of power thrown, a coach who discovers a talent takes the credit for showcasing a star athelete discovered. Sports has been proven to generate revenue as well as attract public partnership which are all aimed at enhancing podium performance by the athletes.

Shehu Dikko’s business vision and wide participation in football contributed in making him the right candidate to place the sector in its expected level, increase the GDP of the country’s economy and equally be accountable with administrative roadmap for success.

The novelty match organised for him by his sports fans and League managers had the likes of Samson Siasia, Victor Ikpeba, Mutiu Adepoju, Dominic Iorfa, Ahmed Musa in attendance to share their joy with him as they displayed their talent with their foot.
Others that graced the occasion were Super Sports General Manager, Felix Nwogu, former and present Chairmen of House Committee on Sports, NFF President, NOC members and persons from across the globe. That singular act indicated a clear fact that Dikko can actually gather momentum with persons that can support his ideology to deliver as charged by the presidency.

However, the Chairman’s meekness to open his doors to all does not mean weakness neither does it mean that he has not commenced work officially. His work is more of brain tasking because ideas actually rule the world. I will boldly say that he has resumed work with like minds that will not only be on the same page with him but will as well be on success Guinness Book with him.

Felly Mammah N.
Press Officer (NSC).

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