NDDC Abolishes Practice of Paying Contractors in Advance

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has abandoned its practice of providing upfront mobilisation funds to contractors, citing past instances where contractors diverted these funds and failed to complete their assigned projects, resulting in a plethora of abandoned projects scattered across the Niger Delta region.

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This development has significantly contributed to the large number of abandoned projects that litter the Niger Delta region, with the NDDC State Director in Abia State, Anderson Ukeh, highlighting the issue at a sensitisation workshop for youths from the 17 local government areas of the state.

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Ukeh expressed concern over the frequent incidents of vandalism that have been affecting NDDC projects in the region, and noted that the workshop was organised to encourage young people to take ownership of development projects in their communities and help protect them from vandalism.

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The NDDC official commended the Managing Director of the commission, Samuel Ogbuku, for initiating engagement with youths to promote community participation in safeguarding public infrastructure, a move aimed at ensuring that development projects are protected and completed.

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According to Ukeh, the commission has executed over 19,000 projects across the Niger Delta, with more than 13,000 of these projects reportedly still incomplete, highlighting the need for community involvement in protecting these projects.

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Ukeh urged youths to play a crucial role in protecting projects in their communities, reporting suspected vandals to security agencies, and supporting efforts aimed at ensuring that development initiatives deliver lasting benefits to the community.

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The NDDC operates as an intervention agency, awarding projects based on consultations with host communities to ensure that they address priority needs, with contractors encouraged to involve local residents in project execution.

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The commission follows established procedures in awarding contracts, with contractors now expected to execute substantial portions of their projects before receiving payment, a policy shift that followed past experiences where mobilisation payments were issued but projects were not completed as expected.

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Ukeh noted that most projects undertaken by the commission require significant financial resources and time to complete, with the new policy aiming to prevent the diversion of funds and ensure that projects are completed as planned.

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Other factors, including rising costs of construction materials, also contribute to delays in the execution of some projects, according to Ukeh, who explained that the commission's new policy takes into account these challenges to ensure that projects are completed successfully.