By Obiabin Onukwugha
The Asagba of Asaba, Obi Epiphany Azinge, has called on the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to extend its intervention to some critical areas in Asaba to tackle the floods the capital city of Delta State has been contending with for many years.
He also appealed to the NDDC to assist in the construction of projects that would benefit the people in his domain.
The monarch spoke when the Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, who led a delegation of the Commission’s Board and Management to pay a courtesy visit on him in his palace in Asaba.
The NDDC delegation included the Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku; the Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Alabo Boma Iyaye; the Executive Director of Corporate Services, Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde; and other Directors of the Commission.
The royal father, who noted the achievements of the agency in the past 25 years, commended the NDDC for its intervention in several sectors across the Niger Delta region and thanked the NDDC for selecting Asaba as the venue for some of the activities marking its 25th anniversary, such as a press conference and the movie premiere.
Meanwhile, the NDDC has declared that it has achieved remarkable milestones in the last 25 years and made a significant impact in the lives of the people of the Niger Delta region.
At a World Press briefing in Asaba, Delta State, as part of activities marking the 25th anniversary of the agency, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, stated that the Commission had lived up to its motto of “making a difference.”
The NDDC chief executive officer stated that the current Board and Management have initiated several projects and programmes that have helped to change the story of the Niger Delta for the better.
He said: “The President gave us a matching order during our inauguration to positively turn things around in the Niger Delta region.”
Ogbuku pledged that the NDDC would adhere strictly to the President’s directive to the Commission to complete all ongoing projects in the region, including roads, bridges, schools, and healthcare facilities.
The Managing Director affirmed that the Commission was engaging all stakeholders to ensure harmony and cooperation in the task of developing the hitherto neglected Niger Delta region.
“It is not only by our efforts; it is the collaborative efforts from all the stakeholders who believe the time has come when there should be stability in the NDDC and that stability is a challenge to us to ensure that we deliver development to the people of the Niger Delta region.
“We believe that in partnership with stakeholders, we are going to achieve more, and development in our region will be faster and more holistic,” the MD stated.
Speaking on the achievements of the commission in the last 25 years, Ogboku noted that the frequent changes in management and boards of NDDC have caused setbacks to development in the region.
Ogbuku also emphasised that NDDC under the leadership of the current Board and Management, has demonstrated commitment to achieving the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu, who is concerned about development of Niger Delta region.
He said the commission developed a policy of transitioning from transaction to transformation and digitalising their procurement process, so that nobody can fake the procurement documents of the Commission.
According to Ogbuku, “through the initiative of the Board and Management, we have restructured the administrative architecture of the Commission to its 13 statutory Directorates, introduced robust Corporate Governance protocols, including KPIs and SOPs, through collaboration with KPMG,” noting, “This formalised a value-driven institutional culture anchored on ethics and performance.”
He recalled that last year, the NDDC commissioned five major development projects across the Niger Delta region. He said this included the 27.5-kilometre Ogbia-Nembe Road, constructed in partnership with Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC. The road, with seven bridges and 50 culverts, connects 14 communities in Bayelsa State.
“Similarly, we commissioned the 6km Iko-Atabrikang-Akata-Opulom-Ikot Inwang-Okoroutip-Iwochang Road and 600m Ibeno Bridge in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, as well as the 9km Obehie-Oke-Ikpe Road in Ukwa West LGA of Abia State.
“We commissioned the 45-km double-circuit 33KV feeder line from Omotosho Power Station to Okitipupa in Ondo State. This electrification project supplies light to the 25 local governments that have been in darkness for 15 years. We also inaugurated the 1×15MVA 33/11KV electricity injection substation in Amufi, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area in Benin City, Edo State,” he stated.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, affirmed that the NDDC was working with stakeholders to deliver effective and efficient services to the people. He noted that members of the fourth estate of the realm are critical stakeholders that NDDC must partner with to advance the course of development.
Also, the NDDC Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Alabo Boma Iyaye, highlighted the series of activities lined up for the 25th anniversary celebration of the Commission, which started with a Thanksgiving service in Akure, Ondo State, on Sunday.
He announced that the activities would be rounded off on Saturday, July 12, with a plenary session and gala night in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
