The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has dismissed the trending social media picture of a purported N2.3 billion wooden bridge project at Elebele, Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, as fake news.
NDDC Director, Corporate Affairs, Charles Odili, in a statement said: “We have gone through our records for past 18 years and there is even no contract offer for the construction of a bridge in the community.
“Elebele community in 2018 sought assistance of the Commission to rebuild the bridge which had collapsed.
“The proposal is still going through our system and presently at the design stage.
“While awaiting NDDC’s intervention, the community undertook self-help and built the wooden bridge. No NDDC input.
“NDDC has not paid out any money for it. In clear terms, this bridge has nothing to do with NDDC.”
Odili described the social media post as a propaganda by those who want NDDC scrapped to deny people of the Niger Delta the benefit of infrastructural and economic development.
According to him: “The fake photograph is a follow up to false allegations and campaigns launched by detractors in news and social media space, even at the recent public hearing by the National Assembly. These forces are not from the Niger Delta.
“Those in doubt should visit the 29-kilometre Ogbia-Nembe Road in Bayelsa, which cuts through the swamps with ten bridges and 99 culverts.
“The road, constructed in partnership with Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, is ready for commissioning.”