Furore over alleged plot to exclude Ijaw communities from N2.5b NDDC projects

Compass

17 Feb 2011

Furore over alleged plot to exclude Ijaw communities from N2.5b NDDC projects

ELDERS and women of the Peremabiri and Ezetu communities of the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State yesterday sent a Save-Our-Soul message to President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Assembly over an alleged plot by some members of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to exclude the communities from the N2.5 billion projects in the state.

While noting that 10 projects have been listed for the state by the NDDC worth N2.5 billion out of which N400 million is penciled down for shore protection and land reclamation in Peremabiri and Ezetu, they said any attempt by the authorities of the commission to delist the projects will provoke protest and lead to disruption of activities at the headquarters of the commission in Port Harcourt as well as the Niger Delta region generally.

Leaders of the communities stated that the recent advertisement made by the commission on 2010 projects for Bayelsa State, estimated at N2.5 billion under the Ecology and Regional Budget Provisions, showed that the N400 million worth of projects for Peremabiri and Ezetu communities were not listed for execution.