ONYEMA UGOCHUKWU PROPOSES FIVE YEAR TENURE FOR CHAIRMAN AND MD OF NDDC, AS PRESENT MANAGEMENT SIGNS PERFORMANCE BOND
BY GABRIEL OKECHUKWU, FRCN PORT HARCOURT
The pioneer Chairman, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu has identified frequent changes of the governing board of NDDC as one of the major challenges facing the commission.
Chief Ugochukwu who made this known at NDDC boad and Management retreat at Ikot Ekpene, proposed a five-year tenure for the Managing Director and Executive Directors, while board members would serve for four years.
The former Chairman who observed that constant leadership changes has been one of the causes of project abandonment also called for a review of the master plan, which was meant to be a Niger Delta Master plan not just NDDC master plan.
One of the facilitators, Former Director General, Bureau of Public Sector Reforms, Dr. Joe Abah who spoke on Public Sector Reforms, Role of Innovations and operational excellence, explained that the need for reform is to bring about positive changes that would move an organization forward.
Dr. Abah identified bureaucratic bottle neck, lack of competition, fear, lack of motivation as hindrances to reforms.
In his explanation creativity which is having new thinking was expedient to bring about innovations to improve the lives of the people.
The Former Director General, Bureau of Public Sector Reforms, maintained that the best innovation template is one that is user centric, asking people what they need and providing solutions.
He stressed on ambition to be able to drive innovation .
Two participants, representatives of Rivers and Akwa Ibom States on NDDC board, Mr. Tony Okocha and Appostle Abasiandikan Nkono, described the lessons learnt as mind blowing.
A Corporate governance expert, Tolu Odukale who spoke on Corporate governance and compliance, emphasized the importance of public trust, insisting that management needs to do more to win the confidence of the people and partners.
Odukale stated that every policy would need to have the interest of the people, based on integrity and devoid of nepotism and personal sentiments.
He emphasized Clarity of purpose, openness, accountability, integrity, fairness, effectiveness as well as continuity.
The Corporate Governance expert named red flags to include, instability in board membership, divisions among board and management members.
According to him, there was need to allow the process to run transparently.
High point of the event was signing of performance bond by Minister of Niger Delta Development, Abubakar Momoh, NDDC board chairman, Chiedu Ebie, NDDC MD, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku alongside Executive Directors.
