ANEEJ urges communities in Niger Delta to demand more accountability from NDDC, others

AGENE GODWIN, Benin

A passionate appeal has been made by a Non Governmental Organisation, Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), to communities in the Niger Delta region to demand more accountability from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Rev. David Ugolor,the Executive Director of ANEEJ, made the appeal at a press briefing in Benin on Wednesday, to present the outcome of the implementation of Strengthening Advocacy and Civic Engagement (SACE) project in the region.

Ugolor also stressed the need for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the communities to hold the NDDC and other development partners in the region, to account in the delivery of their mandates.

The ANEEJ noted that the people desire effective, transparent and accountable institutions working collaboratively to develop the region.

Ugolor said that it was as a result of this transparency that the ANEEJ, in partnership with the USAID project was conceived.

He said the project was also intended to raise public awareness about the mandates and activities of institutions such as NDDC, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and Development Commissions, to stimulate public interest and increase demand for accountability.

The ANEEJ boss noted that the SACE project which commenced in November 2014 has been successful.

He said some of the developmental institutions in the region responded positively to its advocacy and had put measures in place to improve on their effectiveness as well as promote transparency, accountability and disclosure.

“While we agree that there are still issues for advocacy with these institutions, we commend them for the measures put in place so far to promote their effectiveness. We particularly congratulate the NDDC.

“We recommend to other institutions, to put in place, those measures the NDDC has adopted and encourage all the institutions to do more to earn the confidence of the people,” he stated.

Ugolor also appealled to the media to focus more on key developmental issues in the region, rather than giving more media space to the challenges of militancy and politics in the region.

“There are more positive things happening in the region that needs to occupy media spaces,” he posited