The Sun Award’ll boost our efforts to make Niger State, NDDC better –Bago, Ogbuku

MD/Editor-In-Chief, The Sun Publishing Ltd, Mr. Onuoha Ukeh (2nd right); presenting nomination letter to Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, MD, NDDC, for Public Service Award

MD/Editor-In-Chief, The Sun Publishing Ltd, Mr. Onuoha Ukeh (2nd right); Daily Editor of Sun Newspaper; Mr. Iheanacho Nwosu (right); Chairman, Grape Tree Limited, Cyril Okoye (3rd right); Editor, Special Projects, Tony Manuaka (left); Mr. Okoye (3rd left) and Advert Executive, The Sun Newspaper, Mrs. Uzoma Ukoro, during presentation of notification letter to Okoye on the forthcoming Sun Awards

L-r: Mr. Tony Manuaka, GMD, Nedcomoaks, Chief Kennedy Okonkwo, Mr. Onuoha Ukeh and Mr. Iheanacho Nwosu, during presention of notification letter to Okonkwo

President, De Imperial Philantropic Family, Chief Darlington Nwabunike (right), receiving his letter as Sun Award nominee from Mr. Onuoha Ukeh

L-r: Mr. Iheanacho Nwosu, Chief Habeeb Okunola, Mr. Onuoha Ukeh and Mr. Tony Manuaka during the presentation of letter of notification to Okunola, in Lagos

MD, The Sun Publishing Company, Mr. Onuoha Ukeh, presenting a letter of notification on The Sun Award to Dr. Aisha Ashimugu, in Abuja, recently

Niger State Governor, Hon Mohammed Bago and Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, have said that the Governor of the Year award and Public Service Award being conferred on them by The Sun Publishing Limited, would serve as a boost to their determination to deliver good governance and selfless service to the people.

They vowed to continue to do their best in the provision of social amenities and building of infrastructure that would uplift their domains.

Governor Bago and Ogbuku are among 36 Nigerians who will be honoured with various awards by The Sun on March 1, 2025 in Lagos. They spoke separately in Lagos and Port Harcourt when the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, The Sun Publishing Limited, Onuoha Ukeh presented them the letters nominating them for The Sun Awards.

Expressing happiness for the honour, Gov Bago dedicated the award to members of his cabinet, who he said have work diligently towards the socio-economic development of Niger State.

He said his government was focusing on agriculture, infrastructure, healthcare delivery, security and human capital development, with the aim of making life better in Niger State.

Bago said: “We are happy to be nominated for this award. Although named Governor of the Year award, it is an honour for the entire team and the good people of Niger State. We are working as a team and our collective effort is producing positive result.”

He said that his government was deliberate in its agricultural programme, as its target is to produce enough food to feed the nation.

His words “We are serious about agriculture. We are in Lagos to meet a team from Brazil on an agriculture project. Already, our efforts in agriculture are yielding result. Our produce is everywhere, ensuring food security and bringing down the price.”

Governor Bago promised that during the period of Ramadam in March, food produce in Niger will be sold at 50 per cent cost as an incentive, while promising that the state will soon start exporting food.

He said: “As everything we are putting in place yields results, we will meet local demand and start exporting food to other African countries.

“We are also taking action in our programme on renewable energy, with our solar initiative aimed at transitioning households to solar stoves.”

Also speaking, the NDDC boss, Ogbuku hailed The Sun for sustaining good journalism while expressing happiness for being among distinguished individuals who have been honoured by The Sun.

He said: “I am deeply honoured to receive your notification regarding my selection as the recipient of The Sun Public Service Award 2024.

“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the Board of Editors and the entire team at The Sun Publishing Limited for considering me worthy of this prestigious recognition. This selection and acknowledgement encourage us to continue contributing to the development of our region and the nation.”

Ogbuku said the NDDC had many successes and would celebrate its 25th anniversary in the near future.

“We have done so much, and in many communities in the Niger Delta, our projects are the only ones they see on the ground,” he observed.

The NDDC boss stressed: “I want to thank you for the nomination and also want to let you know that as a team, we heartily accept this nomination.

“The Sun award has actually come of age. Most times, we see governors being nominated for awards and we ask about public servants.

“Sometimes, when we see these awards, we assume they were being influenced. But on this one, I didn’t have any contact with The Sun until I was told that the newspaper had nominated us for this award.

“I thought it was a joke until I was told The Sun team was coming to present the letter of nomination and I said okay. It is something of honour that even the NDDC could also be part of these awards.”

Earlier, The Sun MD told Governor Bago that he was chosen to receive the Governor of the Year award because of his socio-economic programmes, which are changing the narratives and trajectory in Niger State.

He said that on assumption of office, Bago secured a farm estate of about 1.2 million hectares of land for an agricultural revolution aimed at feeding the nation.

He said: “In the project, you are working with partners from the United States of America, United Kingdom, Germany, Brazil, India and China. The effort is paying off as food from Niger State, a state of more than 700, 000 square meters, is helping to address food shortage in the country.

“We understand that with the bumper harvest recorded, even food earlier aggregated for export were brought out and sold at subsidised price to reduce inflation at a point in time.”

Ukeh said that Gov Bago’s target in the agricultural programme is to feed the nation with food coming from Niger State alone and to start exporting to West Africa by 2027 and to have the capacity to feed the entire Africa by 2030.

“Already, we know that in the current season, you have started harvesting about one million metric tons of corn field, among other farm producers, towards this end.”

On other programmes that have made an impact in Niger State, The Sun MD said: “Of note is your government’s SPU called NiSolar- Niger Solar- an initiative to transition one million households from using the national grid, with about 10, 000 homes already enjoying it.

“Infrastructure development, urban renewal and green economy initiatives are the focus of your administration. Your administration has constructed over 1,500 kilometers of state and federal roads, thereby enhancing the state’s transportation infrastructure.

“We recognised that under your administration, education and healthcare have also received adequate attention. The ongoing construction of the Ibrahim Babangida University Teaching Hospital in Minna will provide citizens with access to quality medical care, reduce foreign medical tourism and enhance the overall well-being of the population.

“When you became governor in 2023, the Internally Generated Revenue of Niger State hovered between N500 million and N700 million. Less than two years thereafter, the state is almost hitting N10 billion IGR. This you achieved by blocking the loopholes and digitalising a lot of collection and reporting systems, with transparency as a watch word in the application.”

For Ogbuku, Ukeh said The Sun was honouring him because the NDDC under his leadership initiated and launched several transformative projects that brought remarkable improvement across various communities in the Niger Delta region.

He commended the NDDC for commissioning five impactful projects in Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Edo and Ondo states, covering roads, bridges and electricity projects last year.

The projects included the 9km Obehie-Oke-Ikpe road in Ukwa West LGA, Abia State; the 25.7-kilometre Ogbia-Nembe Road in Bayelsa State; the 45km double-circuit 33KV feeder line from Omotosho Power Station to Okitipupa, Ondo State and the NDDC 6km Iko-Atabrikang-Akata-Opulom-Ikot Inwang-Okoroutip-Iwochang Road and 600m Ibeno Bridge in Ibeno LGA, Akwa Ibom State.

Ukeh applauded the NDDC for reviving the free healthcare programmes that provided 20,000 surgeries, attended to 45,000 patients, and ensured the distribution of essential medical supplies to rural communities.

He equally lauded Ogbuku for sustaining the NDDC Foreign Post-Graduate Scholarship Programme, which benefitted 2,700 students.

The Sun MD commended the NDDC MD for providing over 7,000 solar-powered street lights across the region and also extending the opportunity to other communities that have not been captured.

Ukeh noted that Ogbuku reorganised the NDDC administrative system to expedite service delivery and demonstrated the Commission’s commitment to due process and transparency by introducing measures to build confidence and trust among all partners and stakeholders.

Other Nigerians, who will receive The Sun Awards include oil mogul and Chairman, Brittania-U Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Catherine Uju Ifejika as well as amazon of Nigeria’s real estate network marketing and Group Chief Executive Officer, PWAN Group, Dr. Jayne Onwumere, who are winners of the Man of the Year award.

Governors Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto (Sokoto State), Chukwuma Soludo (Anambra State) and Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau State) are Governor of the Year award winners, while Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo is Political Personality of the Year.

The wife of Ebonyi State Governor, Mrs. Mary-Maudline Uzoamaka Nwifuru, is First Lady of the Year.

For the Lifetime Achievement Award, Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Senator Aliyu Wamakko, former Governor, Sokoto State; Annkio Briggs, environmentalist and civil rights advocate; and Chief Joseph Ezeokafor, Chairman of Jezco Oil, are winners.

Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, and Prof Dantani Wushishi, Registrar, National Examination Council (NECO) are winners of the Public Service Award, with Mr. Walter Akpani, MD, Providus Bank, as Banker of the Year.

In the business categories, Chief Michael Onuoha, CEO, AILES Group; Chief Polycarp Obiukwu, Chairman, Bolton White Group; Dr. Aisha Achimugu, President, Felak Concept Group, and Dr. Kennedy Okonkwo, GMD, Nedcomoaks Limited, are winners of Entrepreneur of the Year, with Ichie Ken Chimezie Nwankwo, Chairman, Bigly Group and Amb Emmanuel Udechukwu, Chairman of Roxbury Leisure Homes Limited, clinching Investor of the Year award.

The Industrialist of the Year award goes to Chief Cyril Okoye, CEO, Grape Tree International Limited, and Chief Chika Emenike, Chairman of Kotec Group, while Mr. Seyi Adekunle, Founder, Vodi Group, and Chief Jideofor Ezeofor, Founder, Zeof Excluzioni, are winners of the Creative Personality of the Year Award.

The Humanitarian Service Personality Award goes to Dr. Darlington Nwabunike, President, De Imperial Philanthropic Family and Chief Habeeb Okuola, CEO, TILT Group, with Mr. Pascal Okechukwu (Cubana Chief Priest) and Dr. Dotun Sanusi, Founder/Chairman, Ilaji Hotels and Sports Resort, emerging as winners of the Hospitality Personality of the Year award.

Prof. Mike Ozekhome, is winner of the Courage in Leadership Award, with President of Actors Guild of Nigeria, Mr. Emeka Rollas Ejezie and delectable actress and film producer, Regina Daniels-Nwoko, emerging as Nollywood Personality of the Year award winners.