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The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Cross River State Government have agreed to harmonise community road projects to prevent duplication and political misrepresentation.
Speaking to journalists, Orok Duke, the NDDC Commissioner representing Cross River State, clarified that certain road projects in the state had been inaccurately attributed to the commission. In particular, he debunked claims that the ongoing Nyanghasang community road project in Calabar Municipality was executed by the NDDC.
Duke stressed that the Nyanghasang road was never listed among NDDC projects, noting instead that it is fully under the jurisdiction of the Cross River State Government.
The road, which has long been in the state’s infrastructure plans since the administration of former Governor Liyel Imoke, is currently being implemented by the Ministry of Works as part of Governor Bassey Otu’s “People First” initiative.
Clearing the air on confusion surrounding the project, Duke stated, “As the NDDC representative for Cross River, I can confirm that the Nyanghasang Road is not part of our commission’s mandate. From inception to its current stage, it has been a state government undertaking.”
He condemned attempts by some politicians to lay claim to the project, describing such moves as misleading and driven by ulterior motives.
According to him, certain individuals had gone as far as asphalting a portion of the road without proper documentation such as a Bill of Engineering Measurement and Evaluation (BEME), payment vouchers, or award letters, suggesting possible financial misappropriation.
Duke criticised these actions, branding them a betrayal of public trust and transparency. He reaffirmed that the NDDC operates based on clearly documented and budgeted interventions across all 18 local government areas of Cross River and works closely with state authorities to ensure due process and accountability.
The commissioner stressed that any project undertaken by the NDDC would follow a formal protocol, including site handovers and collaboration with the respective state government.
“At NDDC, we are committed to transparency and integrity in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Nigerian Government,” he said.
Also addressing the matter, the Cross River State Commissioner for Works, Pius Ankpo, corroborated Duke’s claims, stating that the Nyanghasang road project was awarded and financed entirely by the state government.
He presented official documents confirming that the road was initiated during the previous administration and that Governor Otu had prioritised its completion upon taking office.
Describing the road as critical for linking communities in Calabar Municipality, Ankpo dismissed claims that the project belonged to any federal body.
“This is not a Nigerian government or NDDC project. The attempt by certain individuals to hijack it is dishonest and unfair,” he concluded.
