News
Release NDDC’s Withheld Funds, Groups Implore IOCs
The Niger Delta Indigenous Contractors Association (NDICA) and Contractors Association of NDDC have called on International Oil Companies (IOCs) in the Niger Delta region to release all unpaid funds accruing to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) since its inception in 2000.
The indigenous contractors of NDDC made the call in a joint statement after their review meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on their visit to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Umana Umana, in Abuja, recently.
It was learnt that the commission is entitled to a statutory three per cent fund from IOCs’ annual profits for the operations of the agency in the region.
Earlier, Secretary General of the NDICA, Prince Sodinie, recalled that the group was founded in 2000 with the objective of proper coordination and monitoring of contracts and execution by indigenous contractors for quality delivery in accordance with the contract specification.
In a resolution signed by the acting National President, Dressman Darlington, the contractors, called on the multinational oil companies to remit the funds to the Federal Government interventionist agency to enable it to carry out its statutory responsibilities in the region.
The groups expressed confidence in the minister of Niger Delta Affairs to address the lingering issues affecting the oil-rich region.
“We are calling on the IOCs to, as a matter of urgency, release monies due for the NDDC to enable the agency to live up to its responsibilities to her contractors.”
Meanwhile, the groups have alleged that the commission has been owing the contractors hundreds of billions of naira, spanning a period of over six years.
According to them, efforts to recover the debt under the immediate past minister proved abortive.
The groups during their recent visit to the current minister expressed their ordeal since the debts, which they said included the death of their members, loss of key assets to banks, financial institutions, inability to fund their children’s education and other issues.
They appealed to him (Umana) to look into their plight and save what is left of them and their families.
“We, both associations, had extensive discussions with the Honourable Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Obong Umana Umana, during our visit to Abuja, on August 10, 2022,” the stated.
“The essence of our discussions bordered on the payment of contractors of the NDDC and we wish to state categorically that we are very pleased with the warm embrace to which we were received by the minister.
“The minister’s body language has shown that he is, indeed, a statesman that has the interest of the Niger Delta region and the Niger Delta people at heart.
“It is worthy of note that he showed empathy in the unfortunate situation of the contractors which has led to the death of so many of them and has promised to find a lasting solution to the issues presented before him.
“Based on the foregoing, we wish to call on all contractors, consultants, service providers and pressure groups of the commission to be patient with the administration of Obong Umana Umana.
“We express high optimism in the ability of the minister to return Niger Delta back on the part development and progress.”
Also, the patron of the group and former senator in Bayelsa State, John Brambaifa, has appealed to the aggrieved contractors, consultants and other groups with the agency over the delayed contract payments, to sheathe their swords and give the new minister time to settle all lingering issues amicably.
The Nigeria Immigration Service has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this yesterday while inspecting Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
He said the centralised production system aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for better service delivery.
The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has disbursed N2.225 trillion as federation revenue for the month of August 2025, the highest ever allocation to the three tiers of government and other statutory recipients.
This marks the second consecutive month that FAAC disbursements have crossed the N2 trillion mark.
The revenue, shared at the August 2025 FAAC meeting in Abuja, was buoyed by increases in oil and gas royalty, value-added tax (VAT), and common external tariff (CET) levies, according to a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting.
Out of the N2.225 trillion total distributable revenue, FAAC said N1,478.593 trillion came from statutory revenue, N672.903 billion from VAT, N32.338 billion from the Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), and N41.284 billion from Exchange Difference.
The communiqué revealed that gross federation revenue for the month stood at N3.635 trillion. From this amount, N124.839 billion was deducted as cost of collection, while N1,285.845 trillion was set aside for transfers, interventions, refunds, and savings.
From the statutory revenue of N1.478 trillion, the Federal Government received N684.462 billion, State Governments received N347.168 billion, and Local Government Councils received N267.652 billion. A further N179.311 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) went to oil-producing states as derivation revenue.
From the distributable VAT revenue of N672.903 billion, the Federal Government received N100.935 billion, the states received N336.452 billion, while the local governments got N235.516 billion.
Of the N32.338 billion shared from EMTL, the Federal Government received N4.851 billion, the States received N16.169 billion, and the Local Governments received N11.318 billion.
From the N41.284 billion exchange difference, the Federal Government received N19.799 billion, the states received N10.042 billion, and the local governments received N7.742 billion, while N3.701 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the oil-producing states as derivation.
The Governing Council of Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, has decried the inadequate power supply and poor state of infrastructural facilities and equipment at the institution.
The Council also appealed to the government, including Non-Governmental Organisations, agencies, as well as well-meaning Rivers people to intervene to restore and sustain the laudable gesture, dreams and aspirations of the founding fathers of the polytechnic.
The Chairman of the newly inaugurated Council, Professor Friday B. Sigalo, made this appeal during a tour of facilities at the Polytechnic, recently.
Accompanied by members of the team, Prof Sigalo emphasised the position of technology, technical and vocational education in sustainable development.
He noted that with the prospects on ground, and the programmes and activities undertaken in the polytechnic, there is no doubt that the institution would add values to the educational system in our society and foster the desired development, if the existing challenges are jointly tackled.
This was contained in a statement signed by Deputy Registrar, Public Relations, Kenpoly, Innocent Ogbonda-Nwanwu, and made available to The Tide in Port Harcourt.
The chairman who restated the intention of his team of technocrats to ensure that KenPoly enjoys desirable face-lift, said the Council would deliver on its core mandates, accordingly.
Earlier, the Rector, KenPoly Engr. Dr. Ledum S. Gwarah, commended the appointment of Professor Friday B. Sigalo as Chairman of the KenPoly Governing Council.
He described him and his team as seasoned technocrats and expressed confidence in their ability to succeed.
The Rector pledged the management’s support to the Council to ensure that KenPoly resumes its rightful place in the comity of polytechnics in the country.
Facilities visited by the Governing Council include KenPoly workshops, laboratories, skills acquisition centre, library, hostels and medical centre.
Chinedu Wosu
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