NDDC Announces Historic Budget Approval, Celebrates Project Milestones

Port Harcourt, Nigeria – The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has highlighted its significant achievements under the leadership of Managing Director Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, emphasising a renewed focus on transparency and impactful project delivery.

In a press statement released by Seledi Thompson-Wakama, Director of Corporate Affairs, the NDDC lauded the National Assembly’s approval of its record N1.911 trillion 2024 budget, a sum specifically allocated to completing legacy projects across the Niger Delta region.

The statement underscored the “historic turning point” marked by Ogbuku’s assumption of office in January 2023, citing the subsequent adoption of new strategies emphasizing transparency and accountability.

This approach, it claimed, was instrumental in securing the unprecedented budget approval, characterised by minimal queries from the legislature.

The NDDC attributed the smooth budget passage to its demonstrable track record of project delivery.

Senate President Chief Godswill Akpabio, representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at a recent inauguration ceremony for several completed projects in Akwa Ibom State, praised the NDDC’s efforts in improving lives in the region.

These projects included the 600-meter Ibeno Bridge and the 6.87-kilometer Iko-Atabrikang-Opolom-IwuoAchang Road.

The statement detailed a strengthened relationship with the National Assembly, citing the successful passage of accumulated budgets for 2021, 2022, and 2023, and the 2017 amendment to the NDDC Act securing contributions from NLNG and other gas companies.

The NDDC acknowledged the crucial role of the National Assembly, alongside other supervisory bodies, in overseeing its operations.

The NDDC’s 2024 budget, themed “Budget of Renewed Hope,” aims to transition from transactional to transformative interventions.

Ogbuku stressed the importance of robust funding for addressing the region’s urgent development needs, aligning with President Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda.”

A key component of this strategy is the “Rewind to Rebirth” initiative, designed to recalibrate engagement and incorporate the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to leverage private capital and secure bank credits for project completion.

The statement highlighted the completion of five flagship projects within 10 days in May 2024, along with a total of 92 infrastructure projects completed across the nine states at a cost of N84 billion.

These projects encompassed roads, bridges, electricity substations, and other essential infrastructure.

While acknowledging the substantial infrastructure development, the NDDC emphasised a holistic approach, including investment in education, healthcare, skill training, and youth and women’s development.

The statement concluded by advocating for continued support and collaboration to ensure the successful implementation of the ambitious budget and the overall development of the Niger Delta region.