The governors of the nine Niger Delta states on Friday rose from a meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State with a decision to meet with President Umaru Yar�Adua over the funding of the Niger Delta Development Commission
The meeting, which took place at the Government House, Port Harcourt, was co-chaired by the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, and the Acting Chairman of the NDDC board, Mr. Dan Bassey Abia. Addressing newsmen, Amaechi said that the present level of funding for the commission was not in line with the provisions of the law establishing it. He said the governors of the Niger Delta states would meet again on September 26, 2008 to prepare a common position to be presented to the President.
The governor noted that with the present funding of the commission, it would be impossible for any meaningful development to be achieved in the region. He attributed the persistent crisis in the region to high levels of poverty, decaying infrastructure and unemployment. He said the governors and the NDDC board decided to meet in order to marshal plans to address the key problems of the region through strategic resource application by all stakeholders.
He also said that the meeting would seek ways of refocusing the activities and programmes of the commission to achieve more in the years to come.
Abia said the board under him was ready to implement the regional master plan, noting that the first seven years of the commission were experimental. Abia said the NDDC would no longer embark on mini-projects but would instead carry out major projects that would make impact in the region.
The meeting was attended by Amaechi, Governor Ikedi Ohiakim of Imo State, Governor Olusegun Agagu of Ondo State, Prof. O. Osunbor of Edo State and Mr. Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa State. The other state governors sent representatives to the meeting.