FG Speaks On Scraping NDDC

The Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, has asserted that the federal government does not intend to dissolve the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), emphasizing that the commission is an essential component of the government’s strategy for regional development.

During a ministerial briefing held in Abuja on Friday, he pointed out that the now-defunct Niger Delta Ministry has been incorporated into the larger Ministry of Regional Development.

Naija News understands that speculation regarding the potential dissolution of the commission arose shortly after the NDDC denied allegations of a conflict between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and its Managing Director, Samuel Ogbuku.

In a statement issued last week and signed by NDDC spokesperson Seledi Thompson-Wakama, the commission characterized the rumours as misleading.

Thompson-Wakama affirmed that the NDDC Managing Director maintains a strong and cooperative relationship with the FCT minister and other significant stakeholders in the Niger Delta region.

The statement, titled “False Reports of Conflict Between NDDC Boss and FCT Minister,” indicated that those responsible for the rumours aimed to sow discord among the NDDC board members and create a rift between the Managing Director and the FCT Minister.

Reacting to the recent speculations, the Minister said: “The ministry is still active but now operates with a wider scope to manage multiple regional development commissions.

“Several critical road networks have been completed or are nearing completion. These include the Perigolo-Ugria-Gonjero Road in Delta State; the Kola-Nipuru-Chakoro Road (Phase One) in Iposet, as well as the Agoti-Mbaka Road and Yauka Road in the same region.

“Additionally, a network of new roads has been developed in the North East to enhance regional connectivity.”

He said the ministry is providing 250,000 start-up grants to 300 youths who completed vocational training in 2023 in the Niger Delta region.