NDDC to float new master plan, realign annual budgets

L-R: Victor Antai, NDDC executive director projects; Samuel Ogbuku, managing director; Victor Ndoma-Egba, former chairman; Chiedu Ebie, current chairman; Boma Iyaye, executive director finance and administration; and Ifedayo Abegunde, executive director corporate services

... As states’ contributions now deducted at source

A new master plan has been approved for the development of the oil region. The decision to adopt a new master plan was approved by the stakeholders at the retreat of the board and management in Lagos at the weekend.

The stakeholders also resolved that the NDDC must align its annual budgets within the years under review, thus, starting the budget in September of every year.

Above all, contributions of the nine member states are now being deducted from source by the FG to the NDDC.

These are the highlights of the just concluded retreat of the Commission in Lagos for the management and board.

The major highlight the adoption of what they called a new stakeholder-generated Regional Development Master Plan to replace the 15-year plan, which expired in 2020.

This decision was one of the resolutions in a communique issued at the end of the NDDC 2025 board and management strategic retreat in Ikeja, Lagos. The document was signed by Chiedu Ebie, board chairman, and the managing director, Samuel Ogbuku.

The retreat brought together members of the board and the management committee to assess the progress of the Commission thus far, identify challenges and chart a new course for repositioning the Commission for enhanced efficiency and impact in the Niger Delta Region, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The communique stated that the NDDC board and management agreed on proper integration between the Commission and member states in the region to ensure that projects were conceptualized and aligned with the needs of the region’s people.

The retreat resolved: “The Niger Delta Development Advisory Committee comprising the Governors of the nine Niger Delta States should be active and encouraged to carry out their statutory duties to the Commission towards the development of the region.

“To maintain and sustain projects undertaken by the Commission, it is essential to engage stakeholders, including the benefiting communities, from inception through the implementation phase to secure their support, ownership and commitment beyond project commissioning.”

The communique stated that NDDC “should ensure that its budgets align with the year to which it relates. Accordingly, plans should be made to submit budgets to the National Assembly by September of the preceding year as prescribed by the NDDC Act (as amended).”

Participants at the retreat agreed on the need to build on the foundation established at the 2024 retreat, emphasising collaboration, unity, and synergy between the board and management of the Commission.

They advised against the frequent changes of the NDDC Board in contravention of the Act establishing the Commission, stating that it was inimical to the development of the region. They added: “There is need to ensure that the current Board and subsequent Boards of the Commission complete their statutory tenure in office so that their projects and initiatives are implemented fully without interruption.”

According to the communique, “There should be a strong synergy and shared vision between board and management to build a high-performing leadership team for the Commission. Each must respect set roles and boundaries; the Board in its oversight function and management in its policy implementation and day to day operations of the Commission.”

The Commission must embrace digital transformation in its governance, apply sustainability considerations to its procedures, and ensure clear performance matrixes.

The resolutions stated: “The NDDC should accommodate the interests of the oil-producing companies operating in the region, who contribute to its funding by citing legacy projects in the host communities of those oil-producing companies.

According to the communique, “The KPMG Report on the corporate governance structure was presented and adopted. The Retreat recommended adopting international best practices in the Commission’s governance structure, operations, and activities.

Participants acknowledged and thanked Mr. President for fully implementing the NDDC Act by paying the 15% equivalent of the total monthly statutory allocations due to member States of the Commission from the Federation Account.