NDDC says project ‘Light Up Niger Delta’ is flagship of Renewed Hope Agenda

Most towns and communities in the nine Niger Delta states are catching light every now and then, so said observers.

Contractors dig up the earth and soon poles that bear solar-powered lights emerge. This the new reality in the Niger Delta aimed at fighting darkness that promotes insecurity. This has also made the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to stand out and touch more lives in the oil region.

Now, the Managing Director of the NDDC, Samuel Ogbuku, has described the ‘Light up the Niger Delta’ project as the flagship of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration in the Niger Delta region.

Ogbuku, who spoke during an interview with newsmen at the Commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, stated that the solar-powered street lights project was part of measures to fight criminality, boost socio-economic activities and enhance peace in Nigeria’s oil-rich region.

He observed that solar-powered street lights had revolutionised how people live and work, creating the right environment for peaceful living.

According to the NDDC boss, “We decided to adopt the clean energy approach, which not only provides light but helps in the fight to mitigate the effects of climate change on our environment. I can assure you that the incidence of crime has reduced in most of these communities.”

The NDDC CEO expressed delight at the positive impact of the “Light Up the Niger Delta” campaign, which he observed had reduced criminality in the various communities and enhanced commercial activities in the areas.

He said: “We thought it was necessary to create the right environment for our people to live in peace by reducing criminal activities in our communities. Most of these communities have become hideouts for criminals who operate under darkness.

“The operation light-up the Niger Delta was based on our need assessment which showed that in many communities, what created agitations was not only the fact that they don’t have water or school buildings, but that they see themselves as inferior to those in IOC camps where light and other amenities are taken for granted.”

Ogbuku said that the solar streetlights have helped protect the environment in many ways: “We have received a lot of commendations from the communities that are beneficiaries. We also intend to reach out to those communities that don’t have the light yet. It is not a cheap project, but we are biting the bullet to ensure that at least we drive this initiative around the Niger Delta.

“In the area of carbon credit, we are working with a consultant on this. Solar power has the dual benefit of providing needed projects for the people and building NDDC’s carbon credits. The commission expects to recover the carbon credits trapped in some of these projects.”

The NDDC boss pledged that many more communities across the Niger Delta region would benefit from the solar-powered street light projects, which, he said, the NDDC was pursuing with vigour.

Ogbuku urged Niger Delta youths to continue to support the policies and programmes of the Federal Government “because Mr. President means well for the people of the Niger Delta region.”