By LEONARD OKACHIE

The Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has awarded contracts for the construction of three roads in the oil-bearing communities of Ukwa West Local Government Area (LGA) of Abia, a board member has said.

The Commissioner representing Abia in the board, Chief Dimgba Eruba, said this on Tuesday at a civic reception organised in his honour at Ogwe Central School.

Eruba listed the roads to include the Ngwaiyiekwe-Ogwe Road, Owaza-Imo River Road and Ozuaku-144 Battalion Barracks Road.

He also said that the commission had awarded contract for the restoration of the Ukwa West Power Station.

He said that the station would be hooked to the national grid before the Yuletide, pointing out that the project had reached over 90 per cent completion.

Eruba, therefore, thanked the Managing Director of the commission, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, for his magnanimity in awarding the contracts, particularly to the major oil-bearing Owaza Community.

He gave assurance that the road projects, which would commence immediately, would be completed in record time.

According to him, the NDDC boss has a tradition, which is to ensure that he completes all the projects he initiated and inherited.

He described Ogbuku as a man with the passion and commitment to drive both the human capital and infrastructure development in the Niger Delta region.

Eruba said that aside from the physical infrastructure, the NDDC boss had also initiated training and scholarship programmes for youths of the region.

He expressed profound gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Benjamin Kalu, for finding him worthy to serve in the NDDC board.

He also thanked the Asa Group, the organisers of the reception, and all the APC stakeholders in the LGA for honouring him.

He said: “I am so humbled that you honoured me this way.

“I promise you that I shall not be found wanting in the delivery of the dividend of democracy as a member of the board.

“The commission will be addressing our challenges and more projects will be executed.”

Eruba, who is serving his second term in the board, gave assurance that the commission would make drastic impact in the area before the expiration of the current board.

He urged the people of the area to support the president’s eight-point agenda, which include food security, poverty eradication, and unlimited access to capital, security and job creation, among others.

In a brief remark, the Chairman of the Organising Committee, Mr. Solomon Woko, congratulated him on his appointment and expressed the confidence that he would carry every APC member in the area along in his scheme of things.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Asa Council of Traditional Rulers, led by its Chairman, Eze Chinyere Dike, conferred the chieftaincy title of Odozi Obodo (community builder) on him at the event.

Other community groups and associations also took turn to present him with gifts, including a portrait of him, goats and plantains. (NAN)

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