The Contractors Association and the indigenous Contractors Association of Niger Delta of NDDC has called on President Bola Tinubu to exclude the Niger Delta Development Commission ( NDDC) from the Treasury Single Account to enhance the speedy execution of projects in the region.
The contractors also threatened to take legal action against the International Oil Companies operating in the Niger Delta region for allegedly refusing to remit their three percent contribution to the NDDC.
They added that this trend has continued for over five years thereby slowing down the implementation of projects for the good of the Niger Delta people.
The President of the Contractors Association Sylvester Tonye, in a statement issued in Abuja , disclosed this, noting that there is an urgent need for Tinubu to prevail on the IOCs to fulfil their responsibilities to the commission.
The statement reads, “It is through the leadership of Dr Samuel ogbuku and his team that Niger Delta has seen positive developments and progress within the region.
“While we reflect on the outcomes of the summit, it is evident that there is still much work to be done to address the challenges facing the Niger Delta for instance the east west road
“In this regard, we call on Mr. President to consider exempting the NDDC from the Treasury Single Account system.
“Such an exemption would enable the NDDC to operate more efficiently and effectively, thereby enhancing its performance and impact on the region.”
Comrade Tonye also commended president Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former president Goodluck Jonathan, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and his team and traditional rulers on the recent summit held in Port-Harcourt for championing accelerated development to the Niger Delta region.
He also hailed the MD for putting up the summit after some years of negligence and vowed to make his administration succeed.
He further urged the IOC’s ecological funds to remit their contributions and monies due to the NDDC promptly.
“As a concerned association, we will not hesitate to institute legal action against the IOCs if, at the end of August this year, they refuse to remit their dues to the commission.
“It is very clear that contractors are being owed by the commission because of the inability of the oil majors to pay their dues to the commission,”
Meanwhile, at the side-lines of a graduation held in the United Kingdom, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, underscored the need to celebrate academic excellence.
He also appealed to the youth in the region to make themselves useful by supporting Dr Samuel Ogbuku and his team to enable them carry out their work rather than going to the media to start saying things that are not existing
