The Honourable Minister, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, SENATOR GODSWILL AKPABIO, CON, has stated that the Ministry is making relentless efforts to revamp the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for optimal performance by ensuring that all issues slowing down productivity and peace in the Commission are resolved.
The Minister stated this while inaugurating the Committee set up to look into some prevailing staff matters in the Commission in his office in Abuja recently.
“The Commission will be rejigged in order to deliver on its mandate, this is for the benefit of the people of the Niger Delta region,” the Minister said.
According to the Minister, over the years, the NDDC has witnessed varying degrees of challenges especially in the management of the Human Resource that had led to low morale and dwindling performance of the staff of the Commission.
He buttressed that the effects of these issues have affected the activities and productivity of staff in the Commission adding that there is continuous bickering and complaint amongst the Management and staff of the Commission.
SEN. AKPABIO stressed that for the Niger Delta region to progress and develop, the NDDC must be rightly positioned both administratively and otherwise to deliver on its mandate.
He explained that it is in this connection that the Committee is set up to examine all prevailing staff matters in the Commission with a view to resolving them.
The Membership of the Committee has been drawn from both the Ministry and the Commission with the Director, Community Development and Education, CDE, (MNDA), MRS. LAUREN BRIADE as the Chairman and MR. MUSA DAKAS, Director Human Resources Management (MNDA) as Secretary.
Other Members include; BARR. STELLA ABURIME-D (Legal) MNDA; MR. ALFRED ABAH-D (PRS) MNDA; MR. EFFIONG AKWA-EDFA (NDDC); MRS. IYINGI NUMBERE-D (NDDC); MR. OKEJOTO GOSHUA-D (NDDC); MR. ENO UBI-D(Audit) NDDC; MR. PATRICK EKADE-D (PRS) NDDC.
The Committee members are expected to examine the remote and immediate causes that led to placing some staff on compulsory leave and the deployment of officers in the commission amongst other issues.
The Minister stated that henceforth, the operations of the Commission would be guided by the provisions of the Public Service Rules, Financial Regulations, the Act setting up NDDC and other Extant Guidelines and Regulations guiding staff and related matters, adding that the Committee has 3 weeks to complete the assignment and submit the report to the Ministry.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Babayo Ardo in his speech stated that as part of the peace making and building efforts made by the Ministry, the Minister had granted audience to the NDDC officials who expressed their dissatisfaction at the manner in which they were sent on compulsory leave.
In a bid to address these issues, the Honourable Minister has directed that a committee, comprising of both officials of the Ministry and the NDDC be set up to look into some of the prevailing staff matters in the Commission with the aim of resolving these issues and ensuring that peace is restored in the Commission and Niger Delta region.
He therefore enjoined the Committee members to work assiduously to come up with recommendations that will move NDDC and the people of Niger Delta region forward.
The Chairman of the Committee and Director, Community Development and Education (CDE) MNDA, MRS. LAUREN BRAIDE in her remarks pledged on behalf of the Committee members, their loyalty, diligence and commitment in finding a lasting solution to the issues encountered by the staff of the NDDC.
