NDDC set for greater impact in Niger Delta, says board chairman

The Chairman, Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. Chiedu Ebie, has said that the commission is poised to make a more significant impact in the development of the Niger Delta region.

Ebie, who spoke during a two-day board and management retreat of the commission in Ikeja, Lagos State, yesterday, said NDDC is building on the foundation it established in 2024 to refine its strategies towards achieving efficiency and effectiveness.

The retreat, which had the theme, ‘Repositioning NDDC for Efficient Service Delivery’, attracted members of the National Assembly, former chairmen and managing directors of the commission and key stakeholders.

Ebie said: “We remain guided by the clarion call of the Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, 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. This retreat provides an opportunity to strengthen collaboration between board members and management, ensuring that our shared vision translates into effective service delivery. By working together, we can enhance NDDC’s efficiency, accountability, and overall impact.”

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

“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 the President’s expectations. Six months after our inauguration, we were able to commission some significant projects as part of the first anniversary of the Tinubu administration,” Ogbuku said.

He recalled that between May 18 and May 28, 2024, the NDDC commissioned five major development projects across the Niger Delta region, which included the 27.5-kilometre Ogbia -Nembe Road constructed in partnership with Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).

Ogbuku added: “ Similarly, We commissioned the 6km Iko-Atabrikang-Akata-Opulom-Ikot Inwang-Okoroutip-Iwochang Road and 600-metre Ibeno Bridge in Ibeno Local Council of Akwa Ibom State, as well as the 9km Obehie-Oke-Ikpe Road in Ukwa West Local Council of Abia State.