Andy Esiet, Calabar
The Interim Administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr Effiong Okon Akwa has been sacked.
President Muhammadu Buhari in a letter endorsed on Thursday by the Director Press, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Patricia Deworitshe,approved the disengagement of Akwa from his post with effect from today, 20 October 2022.
The statement said, “Mr Akwa was appointed interim administrator of the Commission for the duration of the Forensic Audit into the operations of the NDDC, which has now been concluded.
“President Buhari has also approved the constitution of a new Management Team and Governing Board of the NDDC in line with section 5(2) of the NDDC Act, 2000.
“The names of the nominees for the new management team and Governing Board are to be transmitted to the National Assembly for approval”.
Recall the Senate had in November 2019 confirmed the nominees for the NDDC board with Dr. Pius Odubu as Chairman; Bernard Okumagba (Delta) as Managing Director; Otobong Ndem (Akwa Ibom), Executive Director of Projects; Maxwell Oko (Bayelsa), Executive Director of Finance and Administration; Jones Erue (Delta); Victor Ekhator (Edo); Nwogu N. Nwogu (Abia) and Theodore Allison (Bayelsa).
Others are Victor Antai (Akwa Ibom), Maurice Effiwat (Cross River), Olugbenga Edema (Ondo), Uchegbu Kyrian (Imo), Aisha Muhammed (North West); Shuaibu Zubairu (North East) and Abdullahu Bage (North Central).
Rather than inaugurate the board confirmed by the Senate, the president approved the appointment of an Interim Administrator, which Akwa was appointed.
