The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced plans to engage key stakeholders in a comprehensive effort to tackle the challenges facing the oil-rich Niger Delta region. The NDDC will host a three-day summit in Port Harcourt from Wednesday, July 10, to Saturday, July 13, 2024.
Managing Director of the NDDC, Chief Samuel Ogbuku, revealed this at a press briefing over the weekend. He stated that the summit would include prominent figures such as former Nigerian President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and elder statesman Edwin Clark. Members of the National Assembly, ministers from the region, traditional rulers, and private sector experts are also expected to attend.
Ogbuku emphasized the importance of stakeholder engagement, noting that the summit would provide a platform for generating new ideas and strategies to accelerate development in the Niger Delta, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“One of the cardinal policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is stakeholders’ engagement, and that is one area the NDDC is excelling in, yielding positive results,” Ogbuku said.
The NDDC chief highlighted that previous engagements with various groups had restored peace in numerous communities, underscoring that sustainable development cannot thrive in a crisis-prone environment. The summit aims to harmonize the activities of development partners in the region and implement projects that meet the people’s aspirations and needs.
Recalling the Commission’s transition from Transaction to Transformation (TTT) under the rebirth and rewind policy, Ogbuku noted that President Tinubu had directed the NDDC to complete and commission signature projects that would significantly impact the lives of Niger Deltans.
The summit will also serve as an opportunity for the current NDDC management to showcase its achievements since taking office. Among these accomplishments, Ogbuku mentioned the provision of potable water in communities, crucial during the current cholera epidemic.
The NDDC’s youth empowerment program, tagged Holistic Opportunities Programme of Engagement (HOPE), was also highlighted. Ogbuku urged youths to register for the program to ensure future engagements are based on a comprehensive database of competent individuals, addressing the issue of training being previously allocated to uninterested parties.
“We want to ensure that our future engagements with youths will be based only on those who have registered with us in the database,” he said. “This will enable us to know their areas of competence and share relevant data with other development agencies for planning purposes.”
Ogbuku also pointed out the NDDC’s support for entrepreneurship development through the Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce, aiding farmers and verifiable entrepreneurs in the region.
In terms of financial discipline, the NDDC has engaged KPMG to design a corporate governance system to enhance the confidence of its partners. “This corporate governance structure will increase the confidence of partners that work with the Commission,” Ogbuku explained.
