…Says once upon a time a contract must pass through 62 tables before payment at NDDC
Victor Ndoma-Egba(l) with Soneye on the set of The Exchange
Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, a former Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), sheds light on the structural inefficiencies and political interference plaguing the commission, arguing that excessive bureaucracy is a direct precursor to corruption. He stressed that NDDC, though well-conceived, has been hampered by a lack of an operational master plan and a volatile leadership tenure.
He made this declaration during the inaugural interview of The Exchange Podcast, hosted by Femi Soneye.
The Senator recalled the initial launch of the NDDC master plan, a document that was generated through extensive stakeholder consultations, including communities, state governments, oil companies, and the federal government. He expressed dismay that this vital plan was “abandoned almost immediately” after its launch, and that up till today, the commission operates without one.
He used a simple analogy to explain the gravity of this omission: “it’s like you building a house in your village… you start with a plan.” For the NDDC, the lack of a master plan means the commission is “just walking in the dark grouping,” unable to effectively integrate an entire region economically. He suspects the abandonment was for “convenience,” facilitated by political pressures that view the NDDC as a “share of the national cake.”
Ndoma-Egba’s own attempts at reform during his short tenure were abruptly cut short. He set up a committee to revive the master plan, but his board was dissolved via a news bulletin with no formal notification or reason provided, a situation he said is a recurring problem that destabilizes the commission and prevents proper long-term planning.
Perhaps the most damning revelation was the staggering level of bureaucracy in the commission’s financial processes. The Senator recounted a conversation with his Managing Director where he was informed that it took 62 stops for a contractor to receive any payment. He initially heard a figure of 53 but was corrected to 62.
He emphatically broke down the implication of this red tape: “What is the implication of that? Serious bureaucracy. And what does serious bureaucracy breed? Inefficiency. What does inefficiency breed? Corruption.” He stated that corruption is often not premeditated but rather an “opportunistic situation” that arises when one can take “personal advantage of this inefficiency.”
His attempt to investigate allegations of payment for contracts was even physically disrupted. After an NDDC Contractors Association figure publicly claimed they had to pay to get their payments, the Senator and his MD agreed to set up an investigative panel. However, the inauguration of the panel was broken up by thugs at Hotel Presidential, who chased everyone away.
The Senator concluded by recommending a simple but radical fix: to keep the current leadership in place for the full four-year period mandated by law. He believes that if leaders are sure of their tenure, they can plan properly and avoid the distraction of constantly looking over their shoulders, which in turn might lead to more sustainable reforms and genuine development.
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