The Niger Delta Development Commission has expressed commitment to the completion of abandoned critical projects that will impact meaningfully on the people of the region.‎‎
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Chief Samuel Ogbuku stated this in Asaba at a world press briefing on the occasion of the twenty five years anniversary of the Niger Delta Development Commission.‎‎
Chief Ogbuku who hinted that President Bola Tinubu had mandated the commission to focus on the completion of strategic legacy projects, said billions of money had initially been paid for the execution of the projects.
‎‎He said it was proper for the commission to go back to those abandoned projects, and add value to what had been extended before now, so as not to waste the allocation for the development of the region.‎‎
While unveiling the scorecard of achievements recorded under the present governing board of the Niger Delta Development Commission led by Chiedu Ebie, Chief Ogbuku stated with delight that the abandoned multi billion naira Okitipupa electrification project designed to provide light to Ondo South had been completed and inaugurated‎‎.
He remarked that it was a thing of joy for the people of Ondo South to have electricity light after fifteen years of darkness.‎‎
The NDDC Managing Director and Chief Executive said major abandoned projects were also completed in Edo, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Imo and Rivers States.‎‎He said the present management team of the Niger Delta Development Commission had initiated and completed several projects including state offices of the commission; forty five thousand tablets preloaded with school curriculum to pupils and students;.‎‎
”in Bonny where we are going to build the 27.1 kilometer Bonny ring road, which was awarded by NDDC and abandoned. That project, is now in partnership between NDDC and NLNG. The contractor has been mobilized. The people of Bonny are happy today. So that is a project that is also going to help the NLNG in addition to that, we are all in that partnership. And you see, going forward, we are also committed, most of them into partnership, like we are discussing with Chevron and Delta State, how to construct the marginal Escravos Road, which is about 67 kilometers long and several bridges. And we felt, let us do it in partnership with NLNG. We have met with the Delta State Government, and has showed commitment. Chevron. I think they are willing, but they are also trying to get their partners, which is NNPC, on board ”, he stated.‎‎
Chief Ogbuku stated that the commission apart from continuing the foreign scholarship scheme for two hundred beneficiaries with each receiving forty thousand dollars, the board of directors of NDDC had approved the take off of the local post graduate scholarship.
‎‎In health, the NDDC Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer said thousands of women, men, youths and children had benefitted from the commission’s free medical programme, saying that the health scheme will now be done twice yearly in all the nine states of the region.
‎‎He said a lot had also be achieved in agriculture in collaboration with the commission’s partners, and gave an assurance that priority would be accorded to agricultural sector to ensure food sufficiency.‎‎
The NDDC Managing Director and Chief Executive commended President Bola Tinubu for his support and advice for the commission to make it deliver on its mandate, and also appreciated the efforts of minister of regional development, Abubakar Momoh, former and present governors in the Niger Delta region which according to him, had helped the commission to achieve much.
The NDDC Managing Director clarified that the commission was not sitting on any one point nine trillion naira which was the aggregation of the budget of the commission, and a supposed yet to be taken loan for funding of projects.‎‎He pointed out that NDDC under the administration of President Bola Tinubu had been enjoying improved funding when compared with its funding during previous administrations.
‎‎In a remark, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Mr Chiedu Ebie gave assurances that the commission would continue to work assiduously to make a difference in the lives of the people of the region.‎‎
Mr Ebie appreciated the role of the media as the fourth estate of the realm, saying that the media remains a critical stakeholder in the commission stakeholders engagement .‎‎Media executives, directors and editors including the Director News of FRCN, Mrs Husseina Akila Bangshika attended the briefing which also featured presentation of award by the Delta State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists to the NDDC Managing Director and Chief Executive, Chief Samuel Ogbuku
