NDDC chairman assures of greater impact in Niger Delta

Most persons in the oil region hinged their hope for a rapid development of the region on the 25-year-old Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), but whether the Commission has lived up to this billing or not is subject to big debate.

This debate is given fillip by the statement of Chiedu Ebie, chairman of the board of the Commission, who has assured that the Commission is poised to make a more significant impact in the development of the Niger Delta region. Coming 25 years after, it sends signal that the Commission may have deviated in the past two decades with over N6 trillion.

Ebie, who gave the assurance during the two-day board and management retreat of the NDDC in Ikeja, Lagos State, said the Commission was building on the foundation it established in 2024.

The retreat, which attracted members of the National Assembly, past chairmen, managing directors of the NDDC, and key stakeholders, had the theme: “Repositioning NDDC for Efficient Service Delivery.”

Ebie said: “We remain guided by the clarion call of Abubakar Momoh, Minister of Regional Development, as we align with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. The eight presidential priorities encompassing food security, poverty eradication, job creation, and the fight against corruption serve as our roadmap toward a brighter and more prosperous Niger Delta.”

“At the core of this retreat is the vital need for unity and synergy. Our success depends not on individual expertise alone but on our collective efforts as a cohesive team. By working together, we can enhance NDDC’s efficiency, accountability, and overall impact.”

In his presentation, the NDDC Managing Director, Samuel Ogbuku, restated the Commission’s commitment to the presidential mandate to change the narrative in Nigeria’s oil-producing region.

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“The management has 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 recalled that between May 18 and May 28, 2024, 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.

“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, supplying power to the 25 local governments in darkness for 15 years; plus the 1×15MVA 33/11KV electricity injection substation in Amufi town in Benin City, Edo State.”

The CEO harped on engaging all stakeholders to ensure harmony and cooperation.