US OFFICIALS INSPECT NDDC PROJECTS

A team of US officials yesterday commenced an inspection tour of projects executed by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in the region.

The visitors led by Mr. Andrew Lawrence Silski, a senior officials in the US Department of State, declined to comment on their mission. However, the Edo State Commissioner in the NDDC, Mr Mathew Iduoriyekemwen, who conducted them round some of the projects in Edo said the American Government wanted to know how the NDDC had performed in the region since its inception because of their contributions in the region.

Iduoriyekemwen said the American team would also visit other states in the region before returning to the United States, saying he believed they embarked on the journey to find out whether their contributions so far to the commission were commensurate with the achievements on ground.

Projects inspected yesterday included the 2.5-kilometre road at Erediauwa Street; six classroom blocks at Ologbosere Primary School; solar powered water borehole project at Amagba, Oredo Local Government Council and the Udogbo water project.

Said Iduoriyekemnwen: “You know that the United States Government has contributed immensely to the growth of the NDDC. They have companies here that pay taxies to the NDDC and you know they have given several grants to the Commission because they have interest in the region.

“So they came for an on-the-spot assessment of projects carried out by the Commission, maybe they came to see whether the projects were real. I am glad that they have seen by themselves what we have been doing and they were quite impressed with our achievements. As a matter of fact, they told me that the wish the other agencies of government will do what we are doing,” he said.

BAYELSANEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM observed that the United States officials wanted to know how these projects would be protected from possible attack by militant youths and criminals. The NDDC boss answered that “we can only guarantee security for any project sited in an area for one year."