The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, has affirmed the interventionist agency’s commitment to realizing a thriving Niger Delta through President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Ogbuku gave this assurance on Friday while addressing participants at the opening of a two-day NDDC Board and Management Retreat at the Four Points by Sheraton, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State.
The two-day retreat, themed “Renewed Hope: A New Era for Vitality, Peace, and Development,” saw the participation of the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, represented by his deputy, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, Senators, Members of the House of Representatives, Minister of the Niger Delta Development, leaders of thought, stakeholders in the region, as well as past Chairmen and Managing Directors alongside the current Board and Management of the NDDC.
The MD highlighted the Commission’s commitment to transitioning from transaction to transformation, emphasizing the importance of addressing the financial framework for effective service delivery.
He pointed out the impact and limitations of operating under the Treasury Single Account (TSA) framework, advocating for increased autonomy in financial management to enhance regional development needs.
On his part, the Board Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Chiedu Ebie Esq., observed that the current leadership has adopted a leadership style aiming to instill confidence in Niger Deltans by prioritizing their well-being through constructive collaboration and mutual respect.
Also speaking, the Minister of Niger Delta Development, Hon. Engr. Abubakar Momoh, noted that the task before the new board shall include faithfully implementing the recommendations of the report from the forensic audit in line with Mr. President’s renewed Hope agenda.
Former Managing Director of the NDDC, Mr. Timi Alaibe, emphasized the need for sustainable development in the Niger Delta environment and called for an urgent review of the Niger Delta Regional Development Master Plan to serve the purpose of the Niger Delta people.
In his goodwill message, the Chairman of the House Committee on NDDC, Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, observed that the theme of the retreat aligned with the drive to rewrite the narrative of the people of the Niger Delta region.
The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, eulogized the agency for bringing the retreat to his state and expressed readiness to partner with the NDDC to ensure that Akwa Ibomites benefit from being a part of the region.
