LAGOS DECEMBER 8TH (URHOBOTODAY)-A report on the activities of Niger Delta development agencies has decried over 84 abandoned projects in 25 communities in Edo, Delta, Ondo and Cross River states.
The report was prepared by the African Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) and the Leadership Initiative for Transformation and Empowerment (LITE-Africa).
It focused on the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission (EDSOPADEC), Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (DESOPADEC) and Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC).
It said the NDDC sponsored 27 per cent of the abandoned projects; DESOPADEC, 26 per cent; EDSOPADEC, six per cent and OSOPADEC, six per cent.
The report said the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs was “not on ground” in the region, apart from the construction of the East-West Road.
ANEEJ’s Executive Director, Rev David Ugolor, and LITE-Africa’s Senior Project Manager, Jerry Nwigwe, who presented the report to reporters yesterday in Benin, the Edo State capital, said the National and State Assemblies were not asking for accountability from the development agencies.
Ugolor said the abandonment of important projects in the Niger Delta was a source of worry to residents in the region.
Ugolor said the study revealed that there were inconsistencies in policies and procedures which, according to him, led to poor development outcomes on infrastructural development and public utilities.
The ANEEJ chief noted that the study had opened an innovative entry point for civil society groups to ensure that the institutions acted productively.
Nwigwe said: “A major challenge confronting the effective and efficient administration of public institutions in Nigeria has been widespread corruption, colossal waste and abandonment of several capital projects.
“What the situation shows is that conflicts in the region would have been mitigated if Niger Delta institutions had effective mechanism to monitor their contracting and procurement processes.”

It alleged poor planning, failure to properly incorporate community residents into the development decisions and a lack of coordination among the agencies.
This, the report noted, led to the duplication, abandonment and execution of sub-standard projects in several communities.