The Wailing Women of the Niger Delta (WWND) have opposed the conferment of an award on Sen. Godswill Akpabio as the Minister of the Year by the Daily Independent Newspaper.
It described the award as alarming, undeserving and called for its immediate withdrawal, citing alleged mismanagement of the affairs of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) under the minister.
WWND Coordinator Odighonin Nwadighi, in a statement in Port Harcourt yesterday, said the award was a joke taken too far and a show of shame.
The statement said: “The WWND condemns in totality the said award and describes it as a joke taken too far and a show of shame.
“This award is a slap on the face of not only Niger Delta women and children, but also the region itself, which Sen. Akpabio has unfortunately derided and traded with through the alleged impropriety and mindless malfeasance in the NDDC both under his watch and traceable to him.
“It is common knowledge that Sen. Akpabio has failed to answer fundamental questions on his handling of billions of Naira allocated to NDDC under his watch and supervision yet unaccounted for.
“It is also known that to date he has continued to questionably pocket and monopolise the NDDC with impunity in what is a clear infraction and defiance to the NDDC Act in his refusal to comply with the law in inaugurating the board of the commission despite public outcry and condemnation of his impunity.”
Nwadighi said: “What probity are they talking about that Sen. Akpabio ensured in NDDC? Has the so-called forensic audit report which Akpabio brandished been published? Who and who have been prosecuted on account of the secret report? How much and when was any recovery made? Has Sen. Akpabio inaugurated the NDDC board and when?”
She asked the newspaper management to apologise to the women and children of the Niger Delta and terminate the award.
Said she: “It is our final charge to the Daily Independent to publish the parameters upon which they arrived at that infamous award to Sen. Akpabio with such humongous accolade.
“It is our view that the fourth estate of the realm should be manifestly seen to be promoting public good and not to allow themselves to be procured and lie to the public.
“We, therefore, demand that the Daily Independent Newspaper should withdraw that purported award from Sen. Akpabio and join to demand for the publication of the NDDC forensic audit report, which has been kept a secret from the public.
“The Daily Independent Newspaper should demand the immediate inauguration of the substantive board of the NDDC; account for all the monies accrued and awarded to the NDDC under his watch, within the next seven days, failing which the Daily Independent Newspaper should regard itself as an available propaganda machine and an enemy of the Niger Delta.”