Funding constraints: NDDC to think outside the box, to mount summit to plot future for region

The Samuel Ogbuku-led Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has resolved to host a summit of all segments of the Niger Delta region with the purpose of thinking out alternative funding strategies.

This was disclosed by the CEO at a forum for women in the region which took place at the NDDC headquarters.
The CEO said the Commission would soon a summit and the women must be a part of it because they needed to provide the platform for all our stakeholders to contribute ideas for the development of the Niger Delta region. He said the summit will leverage on the 2023 Budget once it is signed.

Ogbuku informed the women leaders that the NDDC would reach out to them as critical stakeholders in the Niger Delta region as part of the Commission’s programme to engage with all stakeholders in the formulation of the Commission’s overall strategies for the development of the region.

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According to him: “Not until we give all our leaders, political, traditional, youths, women and other leaders in the Niger Delta that platform and opportunity to discuss what our future should be, we may not understand the direction that our people want to go.”

Ogbuku observed that after the recent Partners for Sustainable Development Forum NDDC 2024 Budget of Reconstruction Conference in Uyo, the women leaders felt neglected but said it was not deliberate.

He said the NDDC has met with other groups and it yielded results and would thus meet with women.

“We have entered an agreement with KPMG to clean up our internal processes and encourage our partners. Just last week, we met with the development agencies of France and Germany to facilitate training and create jobs for our youths and women, especially in the area of farming.”

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The NDDC boss noted that funding had been a challenge needing strategic thinking and the resort to PPP system. “Hence, we are open to build a dependable partnership with women groups.”

He pledged to initiate projects and programmes to develop the capacity of women and youths in the Niger Delta region.

Speaking further during, the MD stated that the Commission was focused on building strategic partnerships with the women and youths of Nigeria’s oil-rich region.