Following controversies and protests that trailed the death of Ibanga Bassey Etang, Acting Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Niger Delta Development Commission( NDDC) under the interim Management framework, the management of the commission has announced that he died of Coronavirus.
According to Charles Obi Odili, Director of Corporate Affairs of the Commission in a statement, the commission has been consulting with the family of Etang since his death and has now been authorized to disclose the cause of death.
The statement reads;
“The family has authorized the commission to announce that the late executive director tested positive for COVID-19.
“The Rivers State Ministry of Health has written to the commission to also confirm the cause of death resulting from complications attributable to COVID-19.
“The ministry has therefore directed the commission to order all management staff to go into self-isolation for 14 days with effects from today while seeking the cooperation of the organization in tracing staff and contractors who have had close contact with the deceased.
“During the meeting with the family, they expressed fervent desire, that the death of the executive director should not be politicized, wishing to be left alone to mourn with dignity. This also is the position of the commission.
“The Management of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has been consulting with the family of Elder Ibanga Bassey Etang who passed away in the early hours of Thursday, May 28, 2020.
“The family has authorized the Commission to announce that the late executive director tested positive to COVID-19.
“We pray for the peaceful repose of the soul of our Executive Director Finance and Administration, Elder lbanga Bassey Etang” the statement reads.
Recall that the management of the NDDC had immediately shut down activities at the headquarters of the agency last Thursday for two weeks over COVID-19 scare shortly after Etang’s demise.
This had triggered a chain of reactions. Recently, hundreds of Youths from Eket Federal Constituency stormed the Akwa Ibom office of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to protest his death.
The Youths, under the aegis of Afigh Iwaad Eket, a socio-cultural organization were drawn from Eket, Ibeno, Esit Eket, and Onna local government areas, described the circumstances leading to the death of the commission’s director as “suspicious” as the deceased never had any history of any serious ailment.
