Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC), has craved the partnership of more donor agencies for sustainable development in the Niger Delta region.
This is as the commission announced that it has built over 5,000 kilometres of roads and 42 bridges in the Niger Delta region.
“The NDDC has completed over 7000 projects in the Niger Delta region valued at over N1.6trn and as we speak now we have over 3000 projects that are ongoing value at over N1.5trn, because there are projects that we have just started an there are projects were abandoned due to lack of performance and so on and so forth,” NDDC managing director Samuel Ogbuku made the disclosure yesterday during at the commission’s policy dialogue with development partners in Abuja.
Tagged: “Deepening Governance through Transparency and Value-added Partnership: A Commitment to Reposition the NDDC in Support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Presidency,” Ogbuku said the dialogue is part of efforts to ensure that sustainable development of the Niger Delta region is achieved through collaboration.
Ogbuku assured that the NDDC will continue to engage development partners to bring prosperity to the delta region, noting that a peaceful Niger Delta region would translate to a peaceful Nigeria. “If the region prospers, Nigeria will also prosper,” he said.
He however admitted that the agency is challenged by political interference slowing the growth of the NDDC, adding that in spite of that, the commission is better for it.
Earlier, the director/chairman of PPP committee, Engr Emmanuel Audu Ohwavborua, observed that opportunities abound in the Niger Delta region, saying an investment in the oil-rich region will ever remain profitable. According to him, the story of the region is moving from the state of squalor to state of development.
“There is need for us to keep close to civilian administration in Nigeria for building that part. As soon as the NDDC started, the Niger Delta regional master plan was logged,” he said.
Ohwavborua said implementation of the NDDC master plan has met a lot of setbacks, including inadequate funding for the commission emanating from inconsistent statutory contributions from the federal government and failure of certain oil and gas companies operating within the region to remit their contributions in line with the provisions of the NDDC Act.
He also said the frequent changes in the leadership of the commission, consistent delays in the passage of the commission’s budget by the National Assembly have all combined to affect the smooth running of the commission.
He disclosed that the NDDC has so far awarded various projects valued at over N5.2trn, whereas the commission has only received N2.5trn from inception to date. “No wonder the NDDC has a lot of contingent liabilities, vendors and contractors but we believe in what we are doing now that story will change.”
He solicited for the support of the various development partners and stakeholders of the commission towards implementing planned projects and programmes that will improve the peace, security and prosperity of the region.
“Let me use this opportunity to reassure you of the continued commitment of the Federal Government to the development of the Niger Delta Region through projects and policies that will improve the standard of living of the people.
“In this wise, the Ministry in synergy with NDDC, is committed to enthroning a governance structure that emphasizes on transparency and harmony of purpose towards realizing their respective mandates of developing the region. To enable us achieve the noble objective, I therefore solicit your unwavering support to the present administration,” Ohwavborua said.
