Commission appeals to N/Delta communities to protect contractors handling devt. projects

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has advised the people of the Niger Delta to safeguard the lives of contractors handling developmental projects in the region.

Mrs Ibim Semenitari, the acting Managing Director of the commission, gave the advice on Sunday at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja.

She urged the people in the region to understand that ``we need safety to drive development’’.

``Unfortunately, three days ago, two security personnel were killed on that site, a contractor’s personnel abducted and one of them injured and now contractor has demobilised.

``And that’s part of the challenges really of our work in the region because people forget that we need safety to drive development.

``Ogbio-Nembe is a critical road because 15 communities are linked by that road and we were to finish that and do the second phase of Nembe brass.

``And Nembe brass has the high rate of sea piracy and these people have never see a road before.

``So we are trying to open up communities and it is really important for our people that we protect the lives of our contractors when they come.

``Now the contractor has demobilised from site and it is unwilling and I can understand two months ago, that same contractor’s personnel kidnapped.’’

She said the commission would meet with state governors in the region to discuss the need to protect the contractors handling the Ogbio-Nembe road project in order to get it ready for inauguration on April 29.

The acting MD said it was true that there were some erring contractors, but the commission had developed a mechanism to double check their operations on site.

She said the commission would ensure that no contractor got away with any money without executing projects according to specification.

She threatened to name any contractor, who erred.