Cross River State Government Slams NDDC Over False Claims
By Missang AKPET
The Cross River State government has accused the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) of misrepresenting facts following the commissioning of some projects in the state on Saturday.
Recall that on Friday, the Minister of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Engr. Abubakar Momoh, was in Calabar to inaugurate the renovated state NDDC office and also commission some road projects in Calabar.
Addressing journalists in a press conference at the Ernest Etim Bassey Press Centre in Calabar the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructural Development, Mr. Pius Edet Ankpo expressed disappointment at the NDDC's actions which he said could lead to disaffection between the state and federal government.
Ankpo clarified that the Nyangasang road project was initiated and owned by the Cross River State government, contrary to NDDC's claims of the project.
He explained that the road was formerly handled by a company called Escor prior to the Otu led government which the state government was owing some debt.
“The state government has so far paid off debts to the previous contractor and re-awarded the contract to another company, which is still working on the site as we speak.
“The state contractors are still contractors are still on site and so the NDDC had no involvement in the project and had no right to commission it” he fumed.
The Commissioner representing Cross River State in the NDDC board, Rt. Hon. Orok Duke, corroborated the works commissioner’s statement, saying the Nyangasang project does not belong to NDDC.
“That project was at 80 percent completion when the NDDC came in to asphalt a small section of the road and claim it. I am here to reiterate and tell you bluntly that the Nyaghasang project does not belong to NDDC. If you have evidence to the contrary bring your award of contact letter. Bring your vouchers and payment receipt.
“NDDC as an interventionist agency is not in competition with the state government, instead the Commission seeks to collaborate and complement the government in critical areas of intervention” Duke maintained.
He lauded Governor Bassey Otu for the massive infrastructural projects embarked upon since assumption of office adding that as an APC State, Governor Otu’s policies and programmes broadly align with the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda, hence there is no conflict between NDDC as a federal government agency and the state government.
He revealed that the governor has consistently advocated for even spread of NDDC projects across the three senatorial districts of the state to eliminate the feeling of marginalization within the state.
On his part, the state Commissioner for Information, Dr. Erasmus Ekpang, revealed that the state government’s invitation to the event stated clearly “an invitation to the inauguration of the NDDC state office and not to commission road projects.
Ekpang emphasized that there was no NDDC project at Nyangasang and that the state government's efforts were being misrepresented. He urged the public to disregard the NDDC's claims adding that the government remains committed to transparency and collaboration with federal agencies, but will not tolerate false claims or attempts to usurp its projects.
