Gov Emmanuel’s Political Inclusion Not Discriminatory, Says Media Aide
The political and economic inclusion programme of Governor Udom Emmanuel is an open arm policy which signifies that irrespective of political affiliation, that the state government was ready to partner with relevant authorities and agencies for the development of the state.
A media aide to the Governor, Mr Essien Ndueso, while dismissing speculations of any rift between the Governor and the leadership of the Niger Delta Development Commission, said such opinions were highly erroneous as the governor remains upbeat with his time evaluated policy of political inclusion.
“On the 20th of December 2015 the then NDDC managing director Barr Bassey Dan Abia was eased out of office by the federal government, the Governor was quick to tell the president that the position was legally meant for Akwa Ibom State, and if by any yardstick the former occupant was rejected, the other indigenes who belong to the APC should rather be considered.
Mr. Ndueso pointed out that the news of Mr Nsima Ekere’s appointment was received with joy all over the state because of the belief that with his experience as a former deputy governor and former head of parastatal in the state, he was in a pole position to discharge the role effectively.
“If the governor could parley with Chinese, Turkish and other people to bring about development in the state, how much more our own son in an agency that is largely funded by money from our commonwealth.”
He reiterated that the so far the Governor has opened the doors of his office to the likes of Engr. Ben Ukpong and Mr. Umana Okon Umana of the APC who were his main opponents at the 2015 governorship election, to discuss projects that would bring about developments to the state.
Speaking on the ineffectiveness of the intervention agency NDDC in the state, the media aide stated that it was rather unfortunate that the state has not felt the impact of the agency despite having one of its own as the managing director.
He lamented that most of the projects assumingly executed by the NDDC have not met the test of time, making references to the School Road, Itu road, Ebong Essien road and Nelson Mandela road, all in Uyo which have failed in less than one year, leaving residence of the area to suffer the consequences.
“NDDC is not an arm of the APC, it is a federal agency established by law and funded by proceeds from oil producing states, to intervene in projects execution in the nine Niger Delta states.
“Execution of project by the NDDC should not be seen as a privilege for Akwa Ibom State, but an inalienable right, especially in view of the status of the state as the highest contributor to the federal coffers,” he concluded.
