NDDC emboldened by N1.9trn 2024 approved budget to commission more projects in February 2025

The N1.9trn 2024 budget of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has been approved and this seems to embolden the commission to march on with its legacy projects.

Now, the Managing Director seems to use project commissioning to prove the new spirit in the oil region.

The CEO, Samuel Ogbuku, says the Commission will, in February 2025, begin a new round of project commissioning across the Niger Delta region.

Speaking during an interactive session with newsmen at the Commission’s Headquarters in Port Harcourt, Ogbuku said that some of the landmark projects to be inaugurated included the multi-purpose emergency shelters in Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers states, which would provide relief to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the event of flooding in the Niger Delta region.

The NDDC CEO noted that the Commission was determined to make the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government a reality in the Niger Delta region. He restated his commitment to the mandate given to the Commission by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to change the narrative in Nigeria’s oil-producing region.

According to him, “The President gave us a matching order during our inauguration to positively turn things around in the Niger Delta region. The Board and Management have worked vigorously to meet Mr. President’s expectations. Six months after our inauguration, we were able to commission some significant projects as part of the one-year anniversary of President Tinubu’s administration.

He said further: “My reappointment alongside the current NDDC Board is not just a vote of confidence in me by Mr. President but a symbol of trust. For me and a few other persons who were reappointed to this present board, Mr. President gave us the reappointment on trust.

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.

He remarked, “The President is encouraging us in the area of funding. He approved our raising N1 trillion from financial institutions in the 2024 budget to complete legacy projects.

“Today, the NDDC has an approved 2024 budget. The last budget of this commission was in 2020 and I believe this is the only agency operating without a budget for this long period. So, these things have been achieved in collaboration with the Presidency, the National Assembly and other regional stakeholders.”

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, noting: “It is not only by our efforts, it is a synergy and combined 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.”

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“Today, there is peace in the NDDC and the region. The youths and other stakeholders are happy with our efforts. That is the success we have toiled so hard to achieve for our people.

“We thank our stakeholders for their support and encouragement which has boosted our desire to ensure that we give them what they deserve. We appreciate the state governments for supporting us and partnering with us in several areas of development.”

Reflecting on the achievements of the NDDC, Ogbuku said: “We believe that in partnership with stakeholders, we are going to achieve more, and development in our region will be faster and more holistic. We are not competing with any state government, as we only compliment their efforts.

He recalled that between May 18 and May 28 this 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.

He said in the area of electricity, “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.”