NDDC’s 2024 performance: From a bird’s-eye view

Sir: The most celebrated quote about time and season comes from the Christian Holy Book, the Bible. Ecclesiastes Chapter three verses one states that “there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance…”

The cusp of 2025 appears most appropriate to peep into the 2024 activities of Mr. Chiedu Ebie-led governing board and management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

For those that have been following the trend, the Minister for the defunct Niger Delta Development (MNDD), Engr. Abubakar Momoh, had in November 2023, inaugurated the new Governing Board of the NDDC with a charge to have on their fingertips, the Eight-Point Presidential Priorities that would guide them in the execution of their mandate and ultimately giving the Niger Delta and its people the desired new lease of life in terms of socio- economic and infrastructural development.

He had told members of the new board that their appointment came with octane expectations by the people of the region, expressing grit optimism about the new board’s ability to deliver.

Niger Deltans’ heightened optimism and expectations that the new NDDC Board will perform were conditioned by the antecedents of its members who had been tasked with ensuring that the Commission facilitated the rapid, even and sustainable development and transformation of the region into an economically prosperous, socially stable, ecologically regenerative and politically peaceful sub national.

One year down the line, the observations are heart-warming: First and very fundamental, in addition to being intentional in facilitating the rapid and sustainable development of the Niger Delta region and having demonstrated unwavering commitment in this regard, there is consensus among critical stakeholders that the greatest achievement of the present NDDC’s leadership is the prevailing peace and harmony in the region as can be gleaned from the relationship between the board and management, as well as the creation of leadership ideology that supports paradigm shift and promotes a government that is more responsive to the people.

Keen watchers of the NDDC would admit that singleness of purpose so far demonstrated by the Commission’s leadership and management has set the stage for socio economic prosperity, social stability, ecological regeneration, and political peace ushered into the region in the past one year.

Indeed, going by the achievements recorded by the governing board and management since mounting the saddle, particularly the well-articulated thematic programmes and initiatives, I am of the opinion that the euphoria which greeted their appointment cannot be described as misplaced or misguided.

These policies, programmes and initiatives include: Building partnerships; project hope for renewed hope; lighting up the Niger Delta; carbon emission reduction; sustainable livelihoods; stakeholder engagement; improved youth capacity and skills base; effective and professional workforce; efficient and cost-effective projects; improved peace and security.

In the areas of democratised infrastructural provisions, the governing board and management have to their credits, well-completed big ticket projects that include but not limited to the nationally celebrated 132KV transmission line and 132KV/33KV substation in Ode Erinje, Okitipupa, Ondo State, built by the Commission, ending 15 years of blackout at Ondo South Senatorial District; as well as the 25.7km single carriage Ogbia-Nembe road project connecting 14 riverine communities with 53 culverts and seven bridges, among others..

The Commission recorded similar landmark achievements in the agricultural sector. The agency promoted programmes that guarantee food security and agricultural growth in multi-sectoral areas as a way of improving the living standards of the people.

In education, the Commission’s leadership has in the last one year awarded scholarships to 400 successful candidates from the region to pursue Master Degrees overseas, a programme which of course is an important component of the agency’s human capital development that seeks to use education to change the fortunes of the region.

Jerome-Mario Utomi, a media specialist, wrote from Lagos.