The Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Umana Okon Umana, has requested assistance from the Centre for Integrity and Good Governance (CIGC) as he performs his duties in the Niger Delta region.
The call was made in a statement released on Sunday in Lagos by Mr. Timothy Alabraba, the CIGC’s national publicity secretary.
Alabraba maintained that Emmanuel Audu-Ohwavborua, the Niger Delta Development Commission’s (NDDC) newly appointed acting managing director, should also receive assistance.
Alabraba, who referred to the minister and the acting MD as “round pegs in round holes” and “perfect fit for the job,” pleaded with detractors to refrain from interfering with their efforts to address the problems in the Niger Delta.
”Detractors should rather come together and join these men in fixing the rot in the region and the pains of the people, instead of the mudslinging and unwarranted media attacks being orchestrated.
”The minister, exercising his prerogative, saw Audu-Ohwavborua as the best amongst other senior directors in the agency because he has the capacity and competency to drive his policy agenda, and appointed him to lead the critical intervention agency.
”Mr President graciously approved the appointment of Audu-Ohwavborua in acting capacity, to pilot the affairs of the NDDC pending the constitution of a substantive board.
”His appointment should ordinarily make all peace-loving Niger Deltans to come together and work to alleviate the plight of the people.
”Instead, some have been sponsoring spurious and ridiculous media attacks against the persons of the minister and the acting NDDC MD.
“These needless attacks should stop forthwith, as the NDDC is not a private company of anyone, it is an entity for the people of the region,” Alabraba said.
In particular during this period of floods that had destroyed homes and killed people, he claimed that NDDC was not intended to worsen the misery of the people of the Niger Delta region.
“The minister and the MD would continue to serve the interests of the people until a board comes to continue to pilot affairs for the Niger Delta people.
”Until then, aggrieved persons should stop the attacks and join hands with the new leadership to work for the people,” he said.
