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Nigeria’s
Ambassador to the U.S, Adebowale Adefuye, has defended the sustenance
of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) even after the
creation of the Niger Delta Ministry.

The late President
Umaru Yar’Adua announced the creation of the Niger Delta Ministry on
September 10, 2008 to deal with the problems of the oil-rich region.

Mr Adefuye was
responding to accusations at the 2010 Achebe Colloquium on Africa over
the weekend in Providence, Rhode Island, U.S., that the government was
duplicating efforts with the continued existence of the Commission.

Supporting the
diplomat, Isidore Udoh, an official of the Niger Delta World Congress,
argued on the relevance of the Commission during a panel discussion on
the Niger Delta crisis at the Colloquium.

“The government
doesn’t need to fold up the NDDC. Just like every other ministry, the
Niger Delta Ministry has extra-ministerial agencies attached to it.

“Yes, NDDC might need to be reformed but it is still serving some useful purposes,’’ he said.

Mr. Adefuye said
many countries, including the U.S had expressed interest to partner
with Nigeria in the development of the region, which accounts for the
country’s huge crude oil reserves.

He said Nigeria is
willing to enter into bilateral treaties with other nations on the
Niger Delta, in addition to strengthening the existing U.S.-Nigeria
Bi-National Commission, “which has the region as one of its mutual
area of cooperation.’’

Meanwhile, the
governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, who was also at the
Colloquium, said there is no truth in the allegation that NDDC Managing
Director Chibuzor Ugwuoha transferred $30 million dollars in the
Commission’s offshore account to his private account in the U.K.

Mr. Amaechi was responding to a question from a participant who
alleged that Mr. Ugwuoha, who was the governor’s nominee to the
position, was involved in the illegal transfer of fund.