President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commended the managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Samuel Ogbuku, for turning around the fortunes of the Niger Delta region and assured him that his legacies will outlive him.
The president, who was represented by the minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, said the 50th birthday of the NDDC boss was a celebration of a life of service, scholarship and achievement.
Edun made the commendation at the 50th birthday celebration and unveiling of two books authored by Dr Damuel Ogbuku in Abuja yesterday.
The occasion was graced by notable dignitaries, including the president’s chief of staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, Nigeria’s minister of Finance, Wale Edun, FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and other politicians who extended warm felicitations to Ogbuku and commended his exceptional leadership and vision for the Niger Delta region.
He said with the advent of the administration of Dr Ogbuku, the region has had a new NDDC.
For his part, the Senate president, Senator Godswill Akpabio, said Ogbuku has done a very difficult job well. He said it is not easy to manage the NDDC commission and the entire region of the Niger Delta.
“When I was a governor, I recall taking over from the NDDC the road that comes from the Qua Iboe Terminal, where Nigeria gets a lot of oil production in Ibeno, coming to Eket. NDDC gave that road to one Contractor for 11 years and nothing was done, he said.
“That was the lot of NDDC, but 11 years later, I took over the road and instead of one lane, I dualised it with four bridges. NDDC was known for doing shoddy jobs.
NDDC was a place where people would sit down in hotels, write down the names of creeks and rivers, and award contracts for desilting. He said some of the contractors never even visited the rivers but got paid.
“The National Assembly is very proud of Dr Ogbuku and what he is doing in the NDDC. We say he is 50 years old today, but God Almighty will keep him for another 50 years.”
Meanwhile, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike said celebrating Dr Ogbuku today is not a mere celebration of attaining the golden age; we are celebrating God’s goodness to the people of the Niger Delta through the management of NDDC today.
“He has turned around the fortunes of the Niger Delta region in two years,” he said.
“I also want to congratulate the board of the NDDC, which is the most peaceful board so far. It has been two years of impactful leadership, two years of focus, two years of collaboration and two years of showing strength in leadership.
” Ogbuku will be remembered not only for this celebration but also for the legacies he will leave behind for the good people of the Niger Delta,” he said.
Two books authored by Dr Ogbuku, “Rethinking the Niger Delta” and “Strategies and Imperatives for Developing the Niger Delta,” were unveiled.
The celebrant, Dr Ogbuku, recounted his difficult upbringing and said he was happy to be alive to witness his 50th birthday celebration.
He thanked everyone who had contributed to his leadership career, which began as a student leader, included many political appointments, and culminated in his appointment as the managing director of the interventionist agency.
