We Are Set to Redeem the Image of NDDC – Interim Administrator
The new Interim Administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mr. Efiong Akwa, says the Commission will redeem its image and foster more collaboration with state governments in the Niger Delta region.
He made the declaration at the fourth Meeting of the National Council on Niger Delta at the Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt.
Akwa stated that NDDC would do its best to strengthen the relationship between the Commission and the governments of the Niger Delta, to make them partners and not competitors.
The new NDDC boss underlined the need for collaboration with critical stakeholders to drive the process of development in the Niger Delta region.
He
said: “The Niger Delta Development is ready, we have come up with a theme:
‘Redeeming the image of NDDC that will drive the Commission. Gone are the days
when you hear of supply of desks and chairs, we will engage the governors, the
royal fathers and other stakeholders of the region, so that we harmonize the
needs assessment and set our priorities right and also get them tackled. There
should not be any competition, we will work together as a team and the tax
payer’s money would not be wasted.
“We
are lucky that we have an uncommon minister that is ready and passionate for
development. Luckily for us we have President Muhammadu Buhari that has a deep
seated love for the people of Niger Delta region. It was for this reason that
despite the political opposition that we have, President Buhari is still
committed to the development of the Niger Delta region.
“Whatever
we are going to do, will be a product of structured planning that will put all
the energies of the Niger Delta states together. The Niger Delta states will be
integrated, such that in the next few years, Niger Delta region will be a force
to reckon with. It will be a region that investors would run to.
“I
want to plead that the peace that is currently reigning in the Niger Delta
should be maintained because there is no meaningful development that can take
place without peace. We have the best behaved youths with what we see around.
We have a good level of corporation from our royal fathers as they also give
the youths a good sense of direction, hence with all these efforts, the Niger
Delta region is poised for the best.”
The Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. (Mrs.) Ipalibo Harry Banigo, said that Port
Harcourt was the investment hub in Nigeria, stating that the theme of the
meeting; “Achieving uncommon Development in the Niger Delta Region: Road mark
and Strategy,” was inspiring and instructive. We need the political will and
commitment to drive the development plans for the Niger Delta region.
She lamented that the Niger Delta Regional Development
Master Plan remained largely unimplemented to this date, decrying what she
termed as the increasing rate of abandoned projects in the Niger Delta which
she blamed on the frequent changes in leadership of the NDDC and poor
monitoring of projects.
She said however: “We are happy that today we have a
new and improved leadership at NDDC. We expect changes from the new
administration. We expect to see uncommon changes in the region, especially as
we have the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio in the
saddle.
Banigo said that a Rivers State High court recently
ordered that the NDDC should work in concert with the state governments in the
region to ensure that stakeholders would maximize the resources in the region
and get the greatest impact for the people of the region.
She said that State High
Court ordered the NDDC to always seek the consent of the Rivers State
Government before executing projects in the state.
Earlier
in his opening remarks, the Minister of State, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs,
Senator, Omotayo Alasoadura, observed that lofty strategic intentions of
government over the years have been translated into meaningful development for
the region.
He
said that it was expected that the meeting would provide inputs to the thematic
areas, such as infrastructure development, environmental management, human
capital development, security, agriculture, monitoring and evaluation.
Charles Obi Odili
Director, Corporate
Affairs
December 15, 2020.