Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has issued a compelling call to action, urging all stakeholders in the Niger Delta region to unite and confront the complex challenges facing their communities.
The commission’s managing director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, made the call yesterday at a meeting held at the Commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, where he welcomed a delegation from the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) on a solidarity visit.
Ogbuku reiterated the foundational principle of inclusiveness, underscoring the Commission’s mandate to foster sustainable development across all communities within the nine states comprising the Niger Delta region.
He said, “NDDC is for the nine states of the Niger Delta region, meaning I am here to work in the interest of the nine states of the region. No matter your ethnic group in the Niger Delta region, we all face the same challenges. Therefore, we must all work together to address our challenges.
“All Niger Deltans must be accommodating and work in harmony to drive the process of development for the well-being of our people. I was not appointed to look back or shift blame. I was appointed to look forward to fixing the problems in the region.
“This commitment to inclusiveness is not only regional but also aligns with the global vision of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
Ogbuku emphasised that regardless of ethnicity, the people of the Niger Delta are bound by common challenges, including underdevelopment and ecological issues, which he said the Commission was, more than ever before, poised to tackle.
. Highlighting strategic partnerships, Ogbuku announced critical collaborations with key stakeholders, including the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG), aimed at revitalizing essential projects such as the Bonny Ring Road, Okrika-Borokiri Road, and Sampou-Sabagrigha-Ulako Road and Bridge projects.
In an earlier address, the President of the Ijaw Youth Council, Sir Jonathan Lokpobiri, acknowledged the NDDC’s progress under Dr. Ogbuku’s leadership.
Lokpobiri said, “The NDDC may not have reached where it is supposed to be but the NDDC is far from where it used to be.”
