The House of Representatives has directed its Committee on Niger Delta to investigate the Niger Delta Development Commission’s (NDDC) contract for erosion protection in the Opokuma Clan of Bayelsa State. The mandate came during Wednesday’s plenary session following a motion brought before the House by Obokun Oforji, the member representing Yenagoa/Opokuma Federal Constituency.
Oforji highlighted concerns regarding the contract awarded by the NDDC in May 2004 for shoreline protection in Opokuma Kingdom, citing the reputation of the contractor, Jide Agboola of Dredging Atlantic Ltd, for abandoning projects. He referenced a report from The Guardian Newspaper dated October 6, 2015, which documented the abandonment of a similar project awarded by the NDDC in Aiyetoro Community in Ondo State after collecting a mobilization fee of N2.5 billion out of the N6.5 billion contract sum.
The lawmaker emphasized that nearly 20 years later, the Opokuma Clan project remains abandoned, leading to persistent erosion issues affecting ten communities. He noted that Ayakoroama community has been significantly impacted, with parts of Orubiri community suffering similar fate due to erosion.
In response to Oforji’s motion, the House referred the matter to the Committee on NDDC for investigation. The committee is tasked with probing the circumstances surrounding the contract and its execution, with a directive to report back to the House within four weeks.