The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Samuel Ogbuku, has reaffirmed the commitment of the Commission to the holistic development of the Niger Delta region.

Ogbuku stated this when he hosted a delegation from the Isoko Ethnic Nationality, led by the President General of Isoko Development Union, Prof. Chris Akpotu, at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt.

The NDDC Chief Executive Officer stated that the Commission was open to all ethnic nationalities in the Niger Delta region, noting that its mandate was to serve the people and ensure the sustainable development of all communities in the area.

Ogbuku remarked, ?We all face the same challenges. Therefore, we must all work together to address our challenges, regardless of our ethnicity. These challenges, like underdevelopment and ecological problems, bring us all together.?

?We are all united by a common factor: the challenges we face. We must maintain this identity. We should leverage our bond, as standing alone may not be as strong as our collective strength.?

?The Isoko and Ijaw people are essentially one people because we share a common lineage and we inter-marry. Our ancestral origins connect us, and we must recognise ourselves as one to achieve better development together.?

Ogbuku noted that the current NDDC Board and Management were committed to rewriting the Commission?s narrative through transparency, equity, and purposeful leadership. He stated that under the directives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and within the framework of the Renewed Hope Agenda, the Commission was focused on transforming ideas into visible achievements.

He stated: ?When we speak of the Renewed Hope Agenda, it is not just a slogan, it is a social contract between Mr. President and the Niger Delta people. It's about translating vision into action. But we cannot afford to lose time. That is why we must all work together.?.

Ogbuku charged the Isoko delegation to continue to support the NDDC in its efforts to develop the region, advising them to avoid casting aspersions on the Commission, which he said was the only agency with visible projects in many Niger Delta communities.

Responding to concerns raised by the Isoko delegation, Ogbuku noted that the NDDC was reviewing the electrification project being executed by the Commission in the area. ?Although this administration did not award the project, we are investigating the variations and challenges involved so the contractor can return to the site,? he said.

He also addressed the state of the Uzere-Patani Road, parts of which were damaged by flooding and erosion. ?Plans are already underway to re-award the contract, and we will ensure the road is rehabilitated,? he said.

On broader development efforts, Ogbuku pointed out that projects across Isoko land were planned and deliberate. ?We are replicating the training centre model we successfully executed in Bayelsa in Ozoro and Patani.

Earlier in his remarks, the President General of the Isoko Development Union, Prof. Chris Akpotu, congratulated the NDDC boss on the successful celebration of NDDC?s 25th anniversary and applauded the Commission's transformation under his leadership.

?Under your leadership, the NDDC has moved from a transactional agency to a transformational one, despite the challenges of funding from IOCs. You have kept your word on inclusivity, and that is why we are here to thank you and to ask for more developmental projects in Isoko land,? Akpotu said.

He added: ?We are confident that under your stewardship, the NDDC will continue to serve the entire Niger Delta with integrity and justice. It is our prayer that you continue to lead the Commission so that we can continue to enjoy the dividends of development.?

?PHOTO: NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, right, presenting a plaque to the President General of the Isoko Development Union, Prof. Chris Akpotu, during a courtesy visit at the NDDC Headquarters in Port Harcourt.

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