NDDC Condoles with Family of Former MD, Aginighan

• Charges Niger Delta youths to embrace peace

Emmanuella Igwe

The Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC), has expressed deep shock and sadness over the tragic death of former Acting Managing Director of the Commission, Pastor Power Aginighan, in a motor accident at Mbiama, Rivers State, on Friday, August 31, 2018.

The commission has also charged youths in Nigeria’s oil-producing communities to join in campaigning for peace and security in the Niger Delta region.

The former NDDC boss died with his son, Tammy Aginighan, and a police escort.

In a condolence message, the Chairman, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, SAN, and the Managing Director, Mr Nsima Ekere, condoled with the family and urged it “to leave its faith in the hands of God, despite the deep pain and sorrow they are going through as a result of this very sad and untimely demise.”

The message read: “Nothing happens in this world except God permits it. It is most heart-breaking and devastating for a family to lose a father and son at the same time, in such tragic circumstances.

“We pray that Almighty God grant his wife, the rest of Aginighan family and entire Ijaw nation the fortitude to bear this overwhelming loss.”

The condolence statement further stated: “Aginighan was passionate in the struggle for better living conditions for the Niger Delta people. He served in various leadership positions in various organisations committed to improving the quality of lives of the people and Nigeria in general.

He was Director-General of the Ijaw Youths Action League and held other leadership positions too numerous to mention.

“Pastor Aghinighan has remained very supportive to the Commission, years after serving as the Acting Managing Director. This is indeed a huge and overwhelming loss for his wife, family, the people of the Niger Delta region and the entire Board, Management and Staff of NDDC.”

Meanwhile, the commission has charged youths in Nigeria’s oil-producing communities to join in campaigning for peace and security in the Niger Delta region.

Speaking after receiving an award for excellence from the Niger Delta Youth Forum, the NDDC Director in charge of Corporate Affairs, Dr. Ibitoye Abosede, stated that development can only take place in an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity.

Abosede, who received leaders of the Youth Forum in his office at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt, stressed the need to create the right environment for development to flourish.

He thanked the youth group for finding him worthy of the award of “Excellence in Good Leadership,” noting that all stakeholders should join in the effort to sanitise the Niger Delta to make it attractive to investors.

Abosede advised the youths to be focused so as to put their God-given talents to good use, adding that they should not be discouraged by temporary setbacks.

The director stressed the importance of sensitising youths in the Niger Delta on the dangers of militancy and other social vices, stating that violence begets violence.

He remarked that promoting awareness campaigns within the Niger Delta region remained a viable tool for development agencies that need peace and security to deliver on their mandates, adding that “as an interventionist agency, the NDDC needs the cooperation of all stakeholders to perform optimally.”

Abosede said that youths of the Niger Delta region have a crucial role to play in enthroning peace. He declared: “We don’t want protests and agitations in the Niger Delta anymore. Dialogue is the way to go.”

Earlier, the President of Niger Delta Youth Forum, Emmanuel Ekine, said the body was organising awareness campaigns in the region to sensitise the youths on the need to shun violence and criminality.

Ekine said, “the youth forum has observed that restiveness; violent agitations and criminal tendencies are the prevalent challenges confronting the region.”

He commended the NDDC director, explaining that his nomination for recognition came after a careful consideration of his contributions to youth development, especially his outstanding leadership qualities and transparent service to the Niger Delta region.