ThePan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has called for the resignation of political office holders appointed from the region into key ministries and parastatals created for the development of the area but may not be able to deliver on the mandate
The group insisted it would no longer fold its arms to the docility of some political appointees from the region, noted that the era of self-enrichment against the collective interest of the region is over.
PANDEF National Chairman, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga (Rtd), who stated this at the inauguration of Professor Godini Darah-led Delta State chapter of the body in Warri at the weekend, said the region desperately needs people who can effect positive changes through their offices.
Describing those who had set the region backward as “enemies of the region”, PANDEF insisted it would no longer be business as usual for those with the agenda to continue impoverishing the region for selfish interest.
He stated that henceforth the demand for accountability and positive action that would see an even development of the region from political office holders of the Niger Delta extraction will be one of their topmost priority as a group.
Nkanga, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, lamented that of the 16-point that the body submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari on November 1, 2016, only one of the demand has been addressed by the All Progressives Congress-led government.
PANDEF National Chairman, however, stressed that the group remains committed to achieving its 16-point demand, and called on President Buhari to act on the list in the interest of the region.
While welcoming the decision of President Buhari to undertake a forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), PANDEF insisted that the names of beneficiaries of contracts from the commission must be made known to the people of the region.
According to him, “In our last retreat, we welcomed the auditing of NDDC but we also said we want the names of those who have been beneficiaries of the contracts from 2000 till date to also be mentioned.
“It is when that is done, we will realise that there are people from outside that helped to bring the Niger Delta to where it is. It is then you will know that some of the contractors who abandoned those projects are not even from the Niger Delta”.
NAN
