Edo Group Hails  Appointment of Ogbuku as NDDC MD

Sunday Okobi

A sociopolitical group based in Edo State, Edo Grassroots Ambassadors (EGA), has commended President Muhammadu Buhari over the appointment of Dr. Samuel Ogbuku as the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The commendation was made when the group held its national convention in Benin-city, the state capital, recently.

In a statement signed by its Coordinator, Mr. James Okeati, the group said the nomination of Ogbuku by President Buhari was evidence of the president’s determination to overhaul and enhance the operations of the commission to meet the objectives that informed its establishment.

The statement said: “Dr. Ogbuku’s appointment as part of the 15-member board by President Buhari to direct the affairs of the NDDC is a reassuring indication of the president’s determination to revamp and refocus the NDDC to meet its founding objectives.

“It is an important contrast to previous practice in which important leadership positions of the commission are doled out to unknown quantities whose consequent incompetence forced many to call into question the relevance of the commission given that its results have not matched the investments poured into it.

“Ogbuku is a celebrated community leader, activist, and development strategist with visible trail of meaningful contributions to the growth and development of the Niger Delta. In his role as an executive of the Ijaw Youth Council, he was instrumental to the association’s key successes, including the agitation for sustainable youth investments and responsible, regenerative industrial actions with due care for the environment and the wellbeing of residents.”

The group further disclosed that: “He is a widely educated professional with masters and doctoral degrees in political administration and development studies. There is no doubt that he is ready to take on this new assignment and herald a new era in the management of the NDDC.”

The EGA also remarked on Lauretta Onochie’s nomination to head the board of the commission, noting that it underscores President Buhari’s commitment to equitable representation and empowerment of women.

They urged the nominees, including Ogbuku, to prove their mettle and surpass expectations of the Niger Delta people who are yearning for a functional NDDC.