NDDC Reiterates Commitment To Stakeholder Engagement, Development

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has reaffirmed its commitment to regular engagement with key stakeholders to drive development in the region.
According to Seledi Thompson-Wakama, Director of Corporate Affairs, NDDC Managing Director Dr Samuel Ogbuku made this statement during a courtesy visit to the Commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt by a delegation of stakeholders from Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Ogbuku stated, “We all face the same challenges in the region, which means that we must all work together to address them, regardless of ethnicity.” Underdevelopment and environmental issues are among the challenges that we all face.
He stated that NDDC will launch development projects in Ogba, Egbema, and Ndonì communities. Development initiatives include bridge and road construction, youth empowerment, agricultural development, and cultural revival.
The NDDC Chief Executive Officer emphasised the Commission’s commitment to sustainable development in the Niger Delta region, including ongoing stakeholder engagement and equitable resource distribution.
Ogbuku emphasised the need for collaboration among state governments, the NDDC, and other stakeholders to drive development by monitoring and executing regional projects.
The NDDC recently held the Niger Delta Stakeholders Summit in Port Harcourt to discuss new development strategies for the region. He added that the Commission had previously hosted a two-day 2024 Budget of Reconstruction Conference in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, where stakeholders agreed that the best way to facilitate regional development was for all interested parties to collaborate as partners.
The NDDC boss urged the region’s people to prioritise sustainable agricultural practices over crude oil exploration and exploitation, which have historically contributed to the region’s prosperity.
Dr. Chris Ojobah, the leader of the delegation from the palace of the Oba of Ogbaland, has urged the NDDC to expand development projects in their communities.
He stated, “We would like to bring to your attention that the community of Ogba Egbema in Ndoni LGA, Rivers State is rich in natural resources and plays an important role in contributing to the nation’s economy, with approximately 70% of the country’s crude oil and gas originating from our region.”
Ojobah praised the NDDC’s development projects in the Local Government Area, including a significant increase in the Commission’s 2024 budget.
The Paramount Ruler of Ogba Egbema Ndoni LGA expressed appreciation for your administration’s positive initiatives as MD/CEO of NDDC. We applaud the “Operation Light Up the Niger Delta Solar Initiative,” which has illuminated many communities in the Niger Delta region.
Rivers State Representative on the NDDC Governing Board, Chief Tony Okocha, praised the Ogbaland delegation for choosing consultation over confrontation with the NDDC. He acknowledged the people’s dedication to peace as a prerequisite for development.