NDDC: Cross River elders rise in defense of Akwa’s appointment, laud Buhari

Elders and people of Cross River state have risen in support of the appointment of Barr Chief Effiong Okon Akwa as the interim administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

They specifically said saying the protest and threat by some Ijaw youths over the appointment were uncalled for.

In a press statement titled ‘Allow Effiong Akwa to Change the Narrative of NDDC,’ and made available to Blueprint in Calabar, Wednesday, the Chairman of the Elders’ Forum of the Cross River state All Progressives Congress (APC), Elder (Dr) David Okon, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for Akwa’s appointment, describing it as putting square peg in a square hole.

The statement read in part: “With this appointment, the President has once again demonstrated his commitment to ensuring that persons of proven integrity and capacity to perform, man very sensitive positions and MDAs.”

Elder Okon, who also doubles as the Chairman of the Eniong Abatim community of Cross River state reasoned that “Chief Effiong Okon Akwa’s appointment is a square peg in a square hole. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and Fellow Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.

“Until his recent appointment, he has held the following positions; Managing Director, Akwa Ibom State, Akwa Savings & Loans Limited, Special Adviser Finance to the Managing Director, NDDC and lately, Interim Executive Director, Finance & Administration of the commission. He had also unblemishedly worked with many Nigerian banks at management levels.

“This distinguished Banker, Accountant, Barrister, Community Leader and Administrator per excellence is happily married with children.

“As a Niger Delta community, we have no doubt, that the Interim Administrator will turn around the fortunes of the commission for the good of Niger Delta Communities and the country at large. To that effect, we appeal to the conscience of some Ijaw youths and other ill informed trouble makers to give peace a chance by Chief Akwa, a man with impeccable credentials to change the bad narratives of this interventionist agency to a good one.

“They should know that Akwa Ibom state where Akwa hails from is the highest producer of crude oil in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria with more than 31 percent input presently.”

He appealed to all Niger Deltans, especially Ijaw youths, as well as all well meaning Nigerians to support the President in his determination to change the story of the oil producing region, saying doing so would usher in unprecedented development in the Niger Delta in particular and the country as a whole.

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