Obaseki Seeks Compensation From NDDC For Flood Victims
Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has charged the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and its contractors to compensate those whose properties were damaged by the flood caused by poorly executed projects.
Leading the chairman of the House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on NDDC Abandoned Projects, Sergius Ogun, around the state Wednesday, the governor said, “It is obvious that NDDC has not partnered with the state government. We are talking about projects awarded by NDDC in 2012. Seven years after, we cannot see any visible project. These are some of the things we will take back to Abuja.”
He berated the commission for not fulfilling its part of the tripartite agreement with the government and Edo State Oil and Gas Development Commission (EDSOPADEC) on the repair of the Benin-Abraka road.
Lamenting the impact of flood in the state, particularly on Apostolic Street, allegedly caused by a sub-standard NDDC road project, Obaseki said, “We are holding the NDDC and the contractor liable and we will take legal actions to ensure they compensate the victims.”
He explained that the NDDC was supposed to contribute 40 per cent, while the state government and its agency contribute the balance for the project, but that the commission reneged on the agreement.
Claiming that NDDC is grossly mismanaged, Obaseki said his government had commenced work on the road, which he assured would be completed with or without NDDC’s contribution.
The governor said the commission claimed that it spent N20 billion on emergency projects in the state when it had not paid its counterpart fund.
Meanwhile, the Edo chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has told Obaseki to stop the blame game and focus on delivering on his promises to the people.
The chairman, Dan Orbih, described the failed multi-billion naira Edo stormwater project as a fraud and alleged that it was responsible for the heavy flood in the state.
Orbih, who undertook an on-the-spot assessment of the water project, expressed disappointment over the failure, abandonment and “crass corruption” that characterised the conception, design, and implementation of the project.
“We sympathise with all those who have suffered from the disastrous consequences of the Edo State government’s failure to deliver on the Benin stormwater project. The failure of the project has led to deaths and untold hardships to Benin residents.”
“Let me use this opportunity to call on Governor Obaseki to stop the blame game. As chairman of Edo State economic team, he facilitated the controversial N30 billion bond.
“I hereby call for a comprehensive probe of the bond and its application to the project,” he said.
