Dr Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has attributed the numerous uncompleted projects in the Niger Delta region to the frequent changes in the commission’s leadership.
Ogbuku made the remark in a statement issued by the NDDC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, in Port Harcourt on Friday.
He identified the regular turnover of Chief Executive Officers as a major challenge confronting the commission over the past 25 years of its existence.
According to him, these persistent changes have significantly hindered the completion of projects across the Niger Delta.
“In the past 25 years, the NDDC has had 16 Managing Directors and Chief Executive Officers, which has caused instability within the system,” he stated.
Ogbuku emphasised that the current leadership of the commission was determined to actualising President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda within the Niger Delta.
He noted that Tinubu had charged the NDDC Governing Board and Management with the responsibility of transforming the Niger Delta region through infrastructural and social investments.
“President Tinubu also mandated us to complete and deliver all abandoned critical projects across the region.
“I assure the people that, before the end of the President’s tenure, we will complete all abandoned legacy projects within the Niger Delta.
“Therefore, the people of the Niger Delta should express gratitude to President Tinubu for his unwavering commitment to the sustainable development of the region,” he added.
Ogbuku stated that, in pursuit of this mandate, the commission had made significant progress since adopting the Public-Private Partnership model as its principal policy framework.
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He highlighted that collaboration with development partners had made the implementation of projects more effective.
This, he explained, was evident in the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between NDDC and Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited to collaborate on key projects.
Regarding project monitoring, Ogbuku disclosed that the commission had reinforced and equipped all NDDC state offices with vehicles and other necessary equipment to ensure regular monitoring of projects.
“We want to ensure that our officials are not mere spectators but actively supervise local contractors who are executing numerous projects commissioned by the NDDC.
“This is founded on the understanding that the quality of project delivery is dependent on adequate supervision and oversight, in order to meet international standards,” he added.
Ogbuku expressed confidence that the commission’s Rebirth and Rewind policy had successfully transitioned the NDDC from a transactional to a transformational approach in the development of the Niger Delta.
On entrepreneurship, the managing director stated that the NDDC, through the Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce, had streamlined its engagement to support farmers and verified entrepreneurs within the region.
He further announced the creation of a youth database, which would enable the commission to plan more effectively and to share relevant data with other development agencies as required.
He expressed belief that through partnership with stakeholders, NDDC would achieve greater results, and development within the region would proceed at a faster and more holistic pace.
“According to Ogbuku, we are not in competition with any state government but are rather complementing their efforts,” he added.
He also said that the NDDC had engaged KPMG to design the commission’s corporate governance framework and to review its Standard Operating Procedures, with a view to ensuring financial discipline.
Ogbuku explained that the corporate governance structure had bolstered the confidence of development partners working with the commission in the delivery of sustainable projects and programmes.
NAN
