Ogbuku Seeks Stakeholders’ Unity  to Develop N’Delta

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, has urged stakeholders in the Niger Delta region to unite and confront the complex challenges facing their communities.

The NDDC boss urged all Niger Deltans to accommodate and work in harmony to drive the process of development for the wellbeing of the people of the region, stressing that he was appointed to fix the problems in the region and not to shift blames.

Ogbuku made the call when he hosted a delegation from the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), on a solidarity visit at the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The NDDC’s chief executive officer reiterated the foundational principle of inclusiveness and emphasised the commission’s mandate to foster sustainable development across all communities within the nine states comprising the Niger Delta region.

He explained that the “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.”

Ogbuku further stated that the commitment to inclusiveness is not only regional but also aligns with the global vision of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He 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 is more than ever before poised to tackle.

“Regardless of our ethnicity, we are all related and we face common challenges. These challenges, like underdevelopment and ecological problems, bring us all together,” he said.

To address the persistent underdevelopment in the region, Ogbuku revealed the commission’s adoption of a robust Public-Private Partnership (PPP), strategy to fund major projects. This approach entailed collaborative efforts with corporate organisations and state governments in the Niger Delta region.

He said: “We are actively engaged in solar power projects to contribute to the fight against climate change. Our goal is to electrify every community using solar energy, while also seeking to recover carbon credits through our projects.”

Highlighting strategic partnerships, Ogbuku announced critical collaborations with key stakeholders, including the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited, aimed at revitalising essential projects such as the Bonny Ring Road, Okrika-Borokiri Road, and Sampou-Sabagrigha-Ulako Road and Bridge projects.

He said: “Recently, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding, with the NLNG, and through that partnership, we intend to revive the Bonny Ring Road project, which was stalled for many years. The Okrika-Borokiri Road and bridge project is also being revived in partnership with the Rivers State Government.

“Similarly, in Bayelsa State, we are partnering with the Bayelsa State Government on the Sampou-Sabagrigha-Ulako Road and Bridge project.”

Earlier in his address, the President of the IYC, Mr. Jonathan Lokpobiri, acknowledged the NDDC’s progress under Ogbuku’s leadership.

He noted: “The NDDC may not have reached where it is supposed to be but the NDDC is far from where it used to be.”

He congratulated the managing director of NDDC on his re-appointment to the commission’s board, commending his exemplary leadership.

Lokpobiri appealed to the federal government to fulfill its financial obligations to the NDDC and to recognise the commission as the primary driver of sustainable development in the Niger Delta region.