Lagos — THE Benin National Congress (BNC), has backed the demand by a group in the Niger Delta, the Patriotic Niger Delta Mothers, that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) be probed for alleged non-performance.

The BNC declared that the body had been a disappointment in the region since its inception inspite of the funds that had accrued to it, describing the condemnation of the call for the probe of the NDDC by another group in the region, the Niger Delta Patriots League as "very unreasonable and bias because the people of the region are yet to enjoy the dividends of which it was established".

It would be recalled that the mothers from the region under the auspices of the Patriotic Niger Delta Mothers had threatened to protest on the streets naked if the NDDC was not probed by the Federal Government.

But in a counter reaction, the Niger Delta Patriots League insisted that the body had performed according to the expectations of the people of the region, saying that the call for the probe of the NDDC was uncalled for.

However, the state co-ordinator of the BNC in Delta State, Mr Omoregie Guobadia who spoke to Vanguard in Benin, yesterday, lamented that " we read with grief and consternation write-ups orchestrated to truncate the patriotic demand of probe into the NDDC activities by the Patriotic Niger Delta Mothers.

It is unthinkable that persons masquerading themselves as apostles of the NDDC will dare condemn a patriotic call for the probe of NDDC whose primary objectives have eluded most Niger Deltans unless a handful of opportunists.

"We wish to place on record that we unequivocally support the calls for the release of all NDDC funds to its management, yet the demand for its probe is very expedient.

No matter how geniune a government agency might be, a call for its probe should not be negated because it could spring surprises as to how much tax payers have been looted or mismanaged.

"Although, we are not accusing any one of fraud, we do know that the essence of NDDC is yet to be felt in Edo state.

A situation where very lean and inconsequential projects like the renovation of blocks of classrooms are commissioned amidst fun and fanfare is to say the least petty and an insult to the peace and development loving people of Edo state" he stated.

Guobadia stressed that "in most cases, some of the projects are not in the priorities of the oil producing areas. So the condemnation of the resolve by Patriotic Mothers of the Niger Delta is nothing but an attempt to suppress the truth which will ultimately shield the NDDC from justice.

It also portrayed that there is a fast extinction of moral values of truth, justice and regards for patriots in our region".

He further advised that Patriotic Mothers to "employ very civilized means of protest rather than protesting nude. This is our appeal for the interest of our people and respect for our dear mothers".