The Minister for Niger Delta Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, has urged the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to intensify its engagement with stakeholders in its efforts to develop the Niger Delta region.
In a keynote address at the Two-Day Board and Management Retreat of the Niger Delta Development Commission, at the Four Point by Sheraton, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, Momoh stated that collaboration and partnership were paramount for the success of the NDDC and the ministry.
The retreat, which attracted members of the National Assembly, past chairmen and managing directors of the NDDC directors from both the Ministry of Niger Delta Development and the NDDC and stakeholders had the theme: “Renewed Hope: A New Era for Vitality, Peace and Development”
The Minister said that the Federal Government has resolved to harmonise all the development plans in the Niger Delta region for a more efficient and effective delivery on the programmes and projects of the Commission, as well as of the ministry.
According to Momoh, the ministry and the NDDC would work together to produce a single regional development plan, noting: “The harmonization of the existing development plans in the Niger Delta Region was one of the ten deliverables the president gave to the ministry for implementation in between 2024 and 2027.”
The Minister urged the NDDC Board and Management to constantly monitor and supervise the projects of the Commission to ensure that quality was maintained. “NDDC must insist on the delivery of quality jobs so that the Niger Delta region will get value for money expended on development projects,” he stressed.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, said that the gathering was a reflection of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s strong desire to have the Niger Delta Region transformed into a zone of peace and development.
He stated: “Since our inauguration just over two months ago, as a highly accountable and proactive board, we have achieved progress. Together, we have worked to dispel the negative narratives that once plagued the Commission, aiming to make that a thing of the past.
“Similarly, we have adopted a leadership style that aims to instill confidence in our people, prioritising their well-being through constructive collaboration and mutual respect. The objective of this retreat is to further align the board and management of the Commission with Mr. President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Ebie said that the retreat would probe the purportedly settled answers about the development of the Niger Delta while attempting to proffer answers to unsettled questions.
He remarked: “The retreat will afford us the opportunity to propose strategies for the re-introduction and reestablishment of coordinated development to its proper place in the Niger Delta discourse, design implementation of ideas and ideals that will remind members of the board and management that we are confronted with a larger responsibility of nation building.”
He thanked the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, for hosting the retreat and remarked; “as one of the home states of NDDC, we feel at home with the serenity and hospitality of Akwa Ibom.”
In a goodwill message, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on NDDC, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, commended the Commission for organizing the retreat, noting that it was an opportunity to lay a solid foundation for the development of the Niger Delta region.
He urged the NDDC to deploy technology in the delivery of its programmes and projects in the region.
