Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, called on the Interim Administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Mr Efiong Akwa, to avoid being influenced to play politics with the development of the Niger Delta region.
The governor spoke at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Tuesday during a courtesy visit by the NDDC Interim Administrator, Mr Efiong Akwa, followed by directors of the commission.
Wike called for an NDDC that would effectively support the states of the Niger Delta region in their development efforts, regretting that this had not been the case in the past.
“If you partner us, we will support you. If you continue with the way you have started, the governors of the Niger Delta will support you but don’t play politics with the development of the Niger Delta,” the governor said.
He advised the interim administrator to visit all the governors of states in the region, urging him to work in the interest of Niger Delta people by embarking on regional projects in partnership with state governments.
Wike said “NDDC does not belong to any ethnic group in the Niger Delta region. Those who are seeing themselves as the owners of NDDC are mistaken. They leave their states and come to Rivers State to block NDDC gates.”
Earlier, Akwa said, “I have made it a point of duty to reach out to critical stakeholders of the Niger Delta region in order to tap from their wealth of knowledge, as well as to brief them of my desire to implement programmes and policies that will ensure quick and impactful deliverables for the people of the Niger Delta region in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s directives.”
