NDDC headquarters’ project stalled after 20 years

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), is yet to complete its headquarters despite billions purportedly spent on the project.

The management has, however, set up a taskforce to ensure completion of the 12-storey building before the end of fourth quarter of 2017.

Mr Nsima Ekere, Managing Director of NDDC, announced this when he led board members of the commission to inspect the building in Port Harcourt on Friday.

“It is very sad that we are inspecting a project 20 years after its commencement. We will look at causes of the delay, including the contractor’s capacity to deliver on this project.

“This project must be completed in time and we will not condone non-performance by our contractors because we will have the privilege of inviting Mr President to inaugurate the building”, he said.

Ekere described the number of abandoned NDDC projects in the region as worrisome and said it was important to prioritise the projects to enable the commission to determine the projects it could afford to complete.

He disclosed that the commission’s projects would henceforth be covered by bank guarantees to ensure their completion.

“Our legal department will prepare agreement performance guarantees and further payments for project will be guided by such agreements.

“We will check the number of new projects and then concentrate on completing ongoing ones because we are focused to complete our projects”, he added.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State and the immediate-past Acting Managing Director of the NDDC, Ibim Seminitari, have been ‎exchanging words over the latter’s tenure.

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