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NDDC Engages Media Practitioners On Completed Projects In Niger Delta Region.
— We Are Determine To Make The Difference, Says Ogbuku.
Media practitioners on Thursday, 30th May, 2024. Converged in Portharcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, region media tour and sensitization engagement.
The event is in furtherance of the commission’s continual engagement with key stakeholders and enlightens the public on its ongoing and completed programs and projects across the region.
It’s the believe of many that the NDDC which was set up to offer a lasting solution to the socio-economic difficulties of the Niger Delta region has not lived up to expectation for the purpose it was set up.
As part of efforts in changing the narrative of the commission from transaction to transformation, the present NDDC leadership its making developmental strides in the lives of Niger Deltans.
Speaking via virtual presentation, the Managing Director of NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku who clarified people’s impressions about the board, said the NDDC of today is determine to make the difference.
He said, upon assumption of the present administration of NDDC, as a way to move forward from the past, they decided not to capitalize on failures but to improve on the successes of their predecessors and correct their mistakes.
He noted that most of the legacy projects being commissioned by the commission were abandoned projects undertook where a lot of funds had been sunked in, hinting that is even more difficult to complete an old project than even starting a new one.
His words ” I want to tell you that NDDC you see today is a new NDDC, even the country Nigeria has is own history, so I want to appeal to you all, when you make NDDC has having negative reputation, even Nigeria itself each time a new administration takeover it make references to the previous administration for mismanagement.
“But when we came onboard we felt government is about continuity and let us not look back but rather let’s improved on the successes of our predecessors and correct their mistakes.” He noted.
According to him, the NDDC which was formed base on the need assessment where the commission provided schools, concrete walk ways, jetties, electricity’s that made life comfortable in communities of persons that agitated for its creation and struggle of Niger Delta today has gone beyond that by linking communities such as commissioning of the Ogbia-Nembe road.
He reassured that the current leadership is very committed in ensuring that the NDDC truly make the difference as stated in the new motto and the policy of transiting from transaction to transformation is adhere to.
The NDDC boss, further stated that the commission has employed the services of the KPMG to design the corporate governance structure to regulate internal and external issues, hence complains people make about the commission will be minimal.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Executive Director, Corporate Services, Hon Ifedayo Abegunde, said the engagement with the media is for the commission to set a landmark precedent in line with its mantra of transiting from transaction to transformation.
He said the management of the commission has decided to transit from sectional engagement with the press to a more elaborate and strategic one to solidify the partnership and strengthening the bond.
Abegunde, assured that “the Current board and management under the able leadership of Hon Dr Chinedu Ubie and Dr Samuel Ogbuku as chairman and Managing Director respectively is poised for establishing partnership with the press through periodic nation wide engagement while promoting good journalism within the remit of the commission’s mandate as an interventionist agencies.
“Our wish has always been to see that the people of Niger Delta live a better life, it’s also therefore the aim of the current board and management to see the good people of our region truly enjoy the impact and dividends of the commission’s interventionist efforts.
In a virtual tour of projects, carried out by the Commission, the Executive Director Of Projects, Victor Antia, said that the board has completed and commissioned notable roads and bridges in the region.
According to him, the NDDC has so far constructed several completed and rehabilitated 5,141.3 kilometers of roads through swamps and virgin forest of the Niger Delta region in addition to 42 bridges and thousands of hydraulic structures across the region, construction of 87 jetties across the 9 states of the region
He further stated that notable among such roads and bridges constructed includes the Ogbia-Nembe road which is 27.5 kilometers with 5 bridges, 7 vulvets that connects the riverine communities of the Ogbia-Nembe alignment, completed and commissioned the first phase of Ibeno road and bridge, the 6 kilometers road with 600 meters bridge that links two oil producing communities and two oil producing LGA of Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District among others he mentioned.
Antia also said that electricity projects had also been constructed and commissioned in all the 9 Niger Delta states with 525 transformers distributed and installed in different areas.
In the commission’s quest to light up the Niger Delta, he explained that the board has installed no fewer than 56,786 street lights across the region.
The Executive Director also mentioned other areas the commission has better the lives of the people of the region which includes areas of economic empowerment, health care, education and other sectors which the board has also intervene at touching the lives of people of the region.
In their various goodwill messages, the President Nigeria Guild of Editors, Eze Anaba and the Chairman Nigerian Union of Journalist, Rivers State, Stanley Job while commending the management of NDDC for the giant strides, called on them not to relent in ensuring that Niger Delta region is transformed.
