NDDC Dismisses Allegations of Mismanagement in Calabar Projects

Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Governing Board, Chiedu Ebie, has strongly pushed back against what he described as false and politically motivated narratives surrounding recently commissioned road projects in Calabar South and Calabar Municipality, Cross River State.

Speaking during the NDDC@25 celebrations and project commissioning event in Bayelsa, Ebie warned against using misinformation to sabotage regional development efforts. “Politicising progress in the Niger Delta is not only divisive, it undermines the very purpose of the NDDC,” he said.

Ebie affirmed that the Calabar projects followed all due processes from procurement through execution, and praised both the contractors and NDDC personnel for maintaining strict adherence to regulatory standards.

“These projects were executed by the Commission. Any suggestion to the contrary is not just misleading, it is factually incorrect,” he added.

His remarks follow accusations by Orok Duke, the NDDC Board member representing Cross River State, who claimed the projects lacked procedural legitimacy and were not handled by the Commission.

The controversy escalated following the disruption of the commissioning of the Idang and Nyangshang Roads. Eyewitnesses reported that the event was interrupted by individuals allegedly acting on instructions from certain state and local government officials. Billboards featuring President Bola Tinubu were vandalised, and heavy machinery was used to block access to the site.

The NDDC condemned the incident as a deliberate affront to federal authority and a reckless attempt to derail developmental milestones. “This kind of obstruction disrespects not just the Commission but the Presidency and the people of the Niger Delta who deserve meaningful infrastructure,” the agency said.

Ebie called for unity among stakeholders to ensure continued delivery of quality projects in the region, urging critics to “focus on facts, not fiction.”