By Asuquo Cletus
A representative of Cross River State on the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Orok Duke, has decried the low level of funding for NDDC projects in the state.
He said Cross River has attracted about N1bn worth of projects compared with up to N30bn secured by some other states.
Duke stated this while briefing journalists at the Ernest Bassey Press Centre in Calabar ahead of the launch of his five books scheduled to hold in Abuja.
He said the commission had recorded what he described as its best results under his representation, attributing the progress to improved transparency in project execution.
According to him, the Federal Government has changed the approach to funding projects by ensuring that contractors execute their jobs before receiving payment, rather than paying them in advance.
Duke said the measure was aimed at ensuring accountability and improving the delivery of development projects across the Niger Delta region.
He, however, expressed concern over what he described as inadequate collaboration among relevant stakeholders in Cross River State to complement the commission’s development efforts.
The NDDC board member noted that although the commission had representatives from different states, more cooperation was needed to attract and facilitate development projects in Cross River.
He disclosed that the state had secured projects worth about N1bn through the intervention of the senator representing Cross River South Senatorial District, while some other states had attracted projects worth as much as N30bn.
He commended the Cross River State Government for its support and cooperation with the commission, saying such collaboration was important to achieving development goals in the state.