The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has hailed the recovery of the deplorable and deadly Calabar – Itu Road by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), describing it as an historic development. “We heartily congratulate the NDDC under the dynamic leadership of Mrs. Ibim Semenitari for moving swiftly to rehabilitate this all-important road that traverses Cross River and Akwa Ibom states, as it has since become a big nightmare for travellers and transporters,” Rivers APC Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, said in a statement issued on Wednesday in Port Harcourt.

Four firms are simultaneously working on the road after being mobilised to site by NDDC in its bid to maximise time. “The Acting MD/CEO of NDDC, Chief (Mrs.) Ibim Semenitari, the Eleru of Ifon Kingdom, Ondo State, who took a recovery visit to the collapsed road on Sunday, August 14, has demonstrated that she is not only the pride of Niger Delta region but also the heroine of our people,” Ibiamu said.

Rivers APC also lauded Mrs. Semenitari for her other giant strides, noting that she has in so short a time initiated and executed several laudable projects, policies and ideas in her bid to dramatically improve the lot of Niger Delta people within the shortest possible time. “Particularly worthy of mention is the completing and commissioning, on July 12, 2016, of the gigantic NDDC office complex in Port Harcourt that accommodates about 120 members of staff. For 16 years since its establishment, the NDDC operated from a rented office complex on Aba Road in Port Harcourt. Huge sums of money were wasted on upgrading this rented office complex until the appointment of Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, who has moved swiftly to justify the confidence reposed in her by President Muhammadu Buhari,” the party said.

It also commended Mrs. Semenitari for her concern for the security and peace of the Niger Delta, which made her to host on Tuesday, July 19, 2016 the forum of Partners for Sustainable Development (PSD) streamed live to about 25 million global viewers. “We share the stand of this Amazon that ‘the importance of this forum in the development of our Niger Delta Region cannot be over-emphasised, especially at this auspicious time when the country is relying on major actors in the Niger Delta to come together and address the development challenges facing the region in view of the Change Agenda of Mr. President’,” the party said.

“This lady of excellence is brimming with ideas and enthusiasm to reposition the NDDC for greater service delivery. We commend and congratulate her while appealing for more support from all and sundry to enable her to fully actualise her lofty vision for the NDDC and the Niger Delta region,” the statement said.

Rivers APC commended the current management of NDDC, State Governments in the region as well as the Federal authorities and Niger Delta stakeholders for the support given to Mrs. Semenitari, “which has made it possible for her to achieve all these for the region in the short time she has held the reins of the NDDC.” It expressed confidence in the ability of the NDDC CEO to continue to use her good offices and any other she may occupy in the future to positively impact on the Niger Delta and Nigeria at large.

•Photo shows NDDC Acting MD Ibim Semenitari.

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