MEDIA ENGAGEMENT, NDDC EXECUTES OVER FIVE THOUSAND KILOMETERS OF ROAD, PROMISES BIG-TICKET PROJECTS ACROSS NIGER DELTA REGION
BY GABRIEL OKECHUKWU, FRCN PORT HARCOURT
Managing Director Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku says the Commission has constructed and rehabilitated over five thousand Kilometers of road, forty-two bridges and eighty jetties across Niger Delta region in a bid to address infrastructural deficit facing the region.
Dr. Ogbuku who made this known during media tour and sensitization engagement in Port Harcourt Rivers State, explained that the present administration was committed to embarking on legacy and big-ticket projects that link states, Local government Areas as well as Communities together.
While giving assurance in virtual participation that all abandoned projects would be completed, the managing Director explained that apart from physical projects, the commission has robust programmes in education with over two thousand beneficiaries from overseas scholarships, health, with over twenty thousand beneficiaries and project HOPE initiative, meant to train over ten thousand unemployed youths.
Executive Director Projects, Sir, Victor Antai in a virtual tour, enumerated several projects carried out by NDDC that cut across Roads, power, shoreline protection, Education, solar streetlight and environment.
Sir Antai was elated over recent inauguration of injection power substations in Edo and Ondo states, twenty-five point seven kilometers Ogbia Nembe Road, Ibeno Bridge and nine kilometers Obehie Okikpe road to connect Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
According to the EDP, within the next few weeks, there would be more inauguration of other projects across Niger Delta Region, which would be handled by state offices.
He stated that the NDDC has engaged with stakeholders, International Oil Companies IOCs and the communities.
Sir Antai who stated that NDDC was carrying out mangrove reclamation in the region as part of the efforts against climate change maintained that the solar streetlights installation was done to reduce carbon emissions by Generators.
Answering questions from participants, he Maintained that needs assessment were done before embarking on the projects.
The EDP told the people that the present board believes in legacy and accountability.
on his part, Executive Director Corporate Services Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC CHief Ifedayo Abegunde said that the media engagement was part of management initiative to engender closer collaboration with the media.
Chief Abegunde asked the media to view the new NDDC from a positive perspective.
In a remark, President Nigeria Guild of Editors, Mr. Eze Anaba pledged the readiness of the media to popularize NDDC activities.
