NDDC Tasks Stakeholders on Feasible 2024 Budget

Okon Bassey in Uyo and Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) yesterday, tasked critical stakeholders of the region to fashion out an implementable budget for the commission in its 2024 fiscal year.

The commission made the call at a two-day stakeholders’ forum with the theme: “Partners for Sustainable Development Forum-NDDC 2024 Budget Conference,” holdìng in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital.

Stakeholders that attended the gathering were drawn from governments  of the nine  Niger Delta states, international oil companies (IOCs), traditional rulers, youth groups, civil society organisations, among others.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the event, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku said the stakeholders’ forum was aimed at providing a veritable platform for achieving effective budgeting system in line with the ‘Renewed Hope’ project of the federal government.

“This conference is very vital. For one, it helps to revive the platform of the partners for sustainable development forum which was created as part of the regional master plan implementation guideline, to bring all service providers and project implementers to the same table to fashion a common pathway based on shared vision for the development of the Niger Delta region.

“For another, it affords all of us the incentive and opportunity to pool our resources together, initiate projects and programmes within the obligatory goal of building a better region and empowering our people,” Ogbuku stressed.

In a keynote address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Niger Delta Development, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, urged the NDDC to come up with a budget that would meet the development needs of the states and communities in the region.

Belgore, who was represented by the Director of planning and statistics, Alfred Abbah, lauded the current management of the Commission for the stakeholders’ forum initiative.

Belgore said the way forward was to embrace robust and innovative pathways anchored on transparency and stakeholder participation towards right-budgeting, thus maximising the available resources to address the most critical needs of the people.

He observed: “As the supervising Ministry, charged with the responsibility of coordinating the overall developmental efforts and activities in the Niger Delta Region, we promise to always provide and avail the Commission all the necessary assistance needed to ensure passage of your annual budgets and consistent flow of statutory contributions from the Federal Government.”