Workers Stranded In Rivers As FIRS Seals NDDC Hqtrs

This is certainly not the best of times for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), as its corporate headquarters in Port Harcourt, has been sealed by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
Although the reason behind the sealing could not be immediately ascertained as some staff of the commission seen outside the gate declined comments on the development, but sources said alleged that it may not be unconnected with acts of tax evasion.
When this reporter visited the NDDC headquarters located at the Marine Base axis of the Rivers State capital around 11:10am, last Friday, it was observed that the main gate and adjoining walls had over nine stickers with the inscription, “sealed by the Federal Inland Revenue Service.”
A security vehicle donated to the police was stationed opposite the main entrance, which carried the bold inscription ‘sealed’.
A resident, who simply identified himself as Peter, said that the sealing was discovered when the staff of the interventionist agency were reporting for work.
Peter, who said he runs a business near the complex, described the development as a shock, saying that most workers returned home after waiting in vain to gain entrance for hours.
“We saw this seal on Thursday morning when the NDDC workers were coming to work; the situation caused confusion, many workers left while some waited around.
“Some workers still came to work today (Friday) and the gate is still sealed.To be honest with you, I don’t know why a Federal Government agency would seal off another federal agency,” the resident said.
A couple of months ago, protesting youths under the aegis of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) had sealed the same facility, which was commissioned on March 11, 2021 by President MuhammaduBuhari.
The youths, who also sealed the Rivers State office of the NDDC located on OluObasanjoRoad, Port Harcourt, said their action was to protest the continued delay by the government in constituting a substantive board for the interventionist agency.
Efforts to reach the Director, Corporate Affairs of the NDDC, Dr.IbitoyeAbosede, proved abortive, as he neither answered calls put across to his telephone nor replied to a text message sent to him as of the time of filing this report.