Former Niger Delta agitators have applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for standing by the managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, despite efforts by some individuals to discredit his leadership.
They said the President’s refusal to be swayed by what they described as smear campaigns shows his commitment to peace and genuine development in the region.
The pioneer secretary, First Phase Ex-agitators, Nature Dumale Kieghe, praised President Tinubu for supporting Ogbuku’s vision, which he said was in line with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda for the region.
Kieghe, who is also the immediate past Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Communication Committee said Ogbuku’s administration initiated and executed the Light-Up Niger Delta Project designed to renew the hope of rural dwellers including aged mothers, fathers and grandparents.
He said Ogbuku was also renewing the hope of the youths in the region through massive youth empowerment programmes, including its newly launched Youth Internship Scheme, in which 10,000 youths were being paid N50,000 monthly stipends.
Kieghe further observed that under Ogbuku, the NDDC had dexterously approached the region’s infrastructural needs, speeding up the completion and inauguration of many life-changing projects such as the Ogbia-Nembe Road, electricity, schools, health projects, and skill acquisition centres across the region.
He said the region was also happy that Ogbuku was connecting many displaced communities through various road infrastructures in the spirit of the Renewed Hope Agenda, which described the determination of Ogbuku and the board to complete the Bonny Ring Road and bridges as legendary.
He said Ogbuku had also renewed the hope of NDDC workers and other commission stakeholders by providing befitting and comfortable accommodations and offices in many member states.
He said: “As critical stakeholders, we want to appreciate Mr President for not listening to the enemies of the Niger Delta region, who tried to stop the vision of our leader and brother, Dr. Sam Ogbuku, the CEO of NDDC.
“Today we have proved those Niger Delta people, who felt that he had no plan for the region wrong. We have proved those who felt that Ogbuku was not capable of delivering the vision of NDDC to the Niger Delta people wrong.
“Just take Ogbuku’s project to light up Niger Delta for example. Nearly every community in Niger Delta region today has a solar light in their area and this initiative has brought so much joy to the communities.
“Mr. President, we thank you for listening to us and for not allowing anybody to convince you to stop the vision of Ogbuku. Through him, we have skill acquisition programmes. One of them, the Youth Internship Scheme, pays stipends to 10,000 youths monthly.
“Through Ogbuku’s vision, many infrastructural projects such as the Ogbia-Nembe Road, school, health,.Skill acquisition centre projects, among others, have been completed and inaugurated. We have seen the MD inaugurating liaison offices. In the history of the Niger Delta several states have not had offices they could go to and lodge their complaints.”
Kieghe called on all stakeholders of the Niger Delta to keep supporting Ogbuku and the board to enable them to deliver more credible and people-oriented projects.
While passing a vote of confidence in Ogbuku and the board, Kieghe warned enemies of the Niger delta not to try to bring Ogbuku down.
“We passed a vote of confidence in Ogbuku and his team and prayed to God to grant them the needed wisdom to keep transforming the region. We advise those in the business of confusing crisis merchants and those planning to sabotage what he is doing to desist and embrace dialogue”, he said.
