X-Raying How NDDC Is Abolishing Darkness In Niger Delta, Linking Communities

The Niger Delta Devel­opment Commission (NDDC) under the cur­rent leadership is liv­ing up to expectations in many spares, especially in critical in­terventions that directly impact the lives of the people.

The NDDC which was created in 2000 by an act of parliament to improve the quality of life for the Niger Delta people whom their environment had been heavily impacted by pollution owing the oil and gas exploration.

The agency mandated to cre­ate a sustainable future for the region by addressing socio-eco­nomic challenges, however lost its purpose and veered into pol­itics, often times used as a polit­ical tool by politicians, until the current leadership took over in 2023 and changed the narrative.

The NDDC since then has shown impeccable promise in terms of bridging the gap in pro­viding the needs of residents in the polluted region, embarking on several interventions to alle­viate the plight of the people in the region.

One of such interventions, is the lighting up of the Niger Del­ta, which has banished darkness from many communities in the Niger Delta region through the installation of solar-powered street lights.

The lighting up of the Ni­ger Delta project has equally spawned significant progress in the lives of the people who were hitherto neglected by previous administrations.

The light-up Niger Delta proj­ect is also part of measures by the NDDC to fight criminality, boost socio-economic activities, and en­hance peace in the region.

The project has proven to be a security enabler in the oil rich region, reducing criminality in the various communities and enhanced commercial activities in the areas.

Another crucial intervention of the NDDC is the free health­care provision, which has direct­ly impacted on the lives of the ru­ral people, especially the needy and downtrodden.

The NDDC free health mis­sions had toured around virtual­ly all corners of the Niger Delta, providing healing to the sick and giving hope to the medically chal­lenged.

The intervention which has elicited thousands of testimonies was only revived recently by the current NDDC Board and man­agement, after it was suspended in 2019.

Ab initio, the free medical out­reach by the NDDC was informed by the warnings, occasioned by a World Bank study of the region which stated that there was an “urgent need to implement a mechanism to protect the life and health of the region’s inhabitants and its ecological systems from further deterioration.”

Apart from the World Bank re­port, other studies showed that health indicators in the Niger Delta were far below the nation­al average.

NDDC free medical mission involves volunteer medical per­sonnel setting up a field hospital in a medical facility. The health programme usually includes general consultations, laboratory tests, and surgical interventions in gynaecological, obstetric, and ophthalmic cases, among other things.

The programme also offers general health education and counselling, especially for com­municable diseases like HIV/ AIDS. Those with serious ail­ments that cannot be treated at the field offices are referred to tertiary health institutions for more comprehensive care.

In the area of infrastructural development, the NDDC has not performed less than expected as it has connected Niger Delta Coast­al Communities with 5,141.3km Roads, 87 Jetties, 42 Bridges.

The commission as at May, 2024, said it has constructed and rehabilitated several roads across swamps and virgin forests, noting that the aim is to connect the coastal communities to the mainland to boost the economy of the region.

Conducting media executives and practitioners in Port Har­court on a virtual tour, the NDDC Executive Director Projects, Sir Victor Antia, noted that the Com­mission had constructed thou­sands of hydraulic structures in the region.

Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, the Man­aging Director, NDDC, has as­sured that the commission re­mains committed to complete and commission all on-going projects across the Niger Delta region.

Ogbuku, said that the recent inauguration of five mega proj­ects in Abia, Edo, Ondo, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom states was a tes­timony of the new passion with which the Commission was deliv­ering on its mandate.

He stated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had charged the Commission to complete and commission signature projects that would impact the lives of Niger Deltans.

Ogbuku, noted that the NDDC had so far inaugurated the 132/33kv electricity sub-station at Ode-Erinje in Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State, to light up five local government areas in the state, as well as the 25.7-kilometre Ogbia-Nembe Road in Bayelsa State, which we executed in partnership with Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC.

He further disclosed that the NDDC had inaugurated the 600-meter Ibeno Bridge and the 6.87-kilometre Iko-Atabri­kang-Opolom-IwuoAchang Road, in Ibeno Local Government Area, of Akwa Ibom State, as well as the 9-kilometre Obehie-Oke-Ikpe Road in Ukwa West Local Gov­ernment Area of Abia State.

Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde, the NDDC Executive Director Corpo­rate Services, in his welcome ad­dress, at the event, acknowledged the contributions of the media to the growth of democracy and public accountability.

“Today, NDDC is setting a landmark precedent in its en­gagement with the Press. This strategic engagement is in line with the new management’s man­tra of Transition from Transac­tions to Transformation (TTT). Consequently, the management of NDDC has decided to transit from sectional engagement with the Press to a more elaborate and strategic engagement to solidify our partnership and strengthen our bond with the press

“The current Governing Board and Management under the able leadership of Mr. Chiedu Ebie and Dr. Samuel Ogbuku as Chair­man and Managing Director, respectively, is poised on estab­lishing a sustainable partnership with the Press through periodic region-wide media engagement while promoting good journalism within the remit of our mandate as an interventionist agency.”

“Taking a quick peek on youth’s empowerment, the NDDC, has equally done tre­mendously well by commencing the placement and payment of 10,000 beneficiaries in the Youth Internship Scheme for one-year practical skills training in vari­ous organisations for sustainable youth empowerment in the Niger Delta region”.

This followed a transparent, diligent, and fair vetting process of over 3.2 million young people who applied for the scheme be­fore the close of the application period.

Consequently, the commis­sion said the unprecedented response highlighted the Niger Delta youth’s immense poten­tial and aspirations, reiterating it’s steadfastness in ensuring life-changing opportunities to the most deserving candidates, thereby creating a lasting impact and paving the way for a brighter future.

According to a recent state­ment signed by the NDDC Direc­tor of Corporate Affairs, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, the com­mission has established a com­prehensive digital repository of vital information, including the qualifications, skills, interests, needs, and employment status of youths in the region.

The statement noted that the data-driven approach enables the Commission to design targeted programmes that address the unique needs of the vibrant and resourceful youth population.

The statement emphasised the need to ensure that all Commis­sion’s initiatives are anchored in transparency and ethical practices, the NDDC partnered with KPMG, a globally renowned consultancy, to enhance our cor­porate governance framework.

According to the statement, KPMG has produced a Gover­nance Advisory Report that will serve as a tool for implementing the Commission’s transition from transaction to transforma­tion policy.

“The NDDC remains deeply committed to engaging stake­holders, youth and community leaders in shaping the future of the Niger Delta region.

“We appreciate the Niger Del­ta stakeholders, including those who applied for the youth Intern­ship Scheme, for their patience, unwavering support and under­standing during the meticulous selection process for the transfor­mative programme.

“Our commitment to transpar­ency and fairness, which aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, guided the selection of beneficiaries.”